STAFF members of J Wray & Nephew Limited on Wednesday came out in their numbers with family members to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

Facilitated by the Private Sector Vaccination Initiative and the Ministry of Health, the Wray & Nephew workers, their relatives and visitors were given doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine at the company headquarters on Spanish Town Road in Kingston. While people waited to get their shots they were treated to refreshments and music in a relaxing atmosphere.

Winston Meeks, who has been working with the entity for 14 years, and his mother, 84-year-old Elsie Grossett, were first to get the jab.

“I was always watching. I honestly believe that the vaccine is required, based on the situation that the world has found itself in [so] I made the decision to come and get vaccinated based on what I see is happening. Hospitals are being overrun and I know of more than one person, personally, who has died from COVID,” the 54-year-old Meeks told the Jamaica Observer.

“It wasn’t about ‘if’. I knew that I was going to take the vaccine. And my mother always wanted to take it. She always tell me to get her registered. I didn’t have to persuade her,” he added.

Grossett, meanwhile, told the Observer that she took the jab to protect herself and her family.

“You have to do the necessary things to protect yourself. I have underlying conditions. I have a breathing problem, allergy, high cholesterol and blood pressure. It was very convenient that I get it at my son’s workplace. I didn’t have to wait very long,” she said.

Grossett added that she hopes her decision to get vaccinated will influence other family members and neighbours to do the same.

“You cannot go about and tell people what they must do; you just have to [care about] your family. I live with my daughter who is a little bit strong-headed. When she come home and then I tell her that I went and get mine, and she see how I react, maybe that will push her to come. I can encourage a neighbour but that’s about it.”

It’s the same logic that drove her son to get the jab. Meeks said seeing co-workers taking the vaccine made him more willing to do so, as well.

“It motivated me. I want to just say kudos to the company. This shows that they really care about their employees. The effort they made so we can have it in our own backyard conveniently, I said I wasn’t going to let this pass. People have to go to the National Stadium and other places and line up for hours, and the fact that they made the effort to bring it here for us as employees, we should just take the opportunity,” he said.

Norman Hinds, 27, made the appointment beforehand, but was further motivated after three relatives fell ill due to COVID-19. He said his two nephews, ages one and eight; and his 19-year-old niece have contracted the virus.

“This can prevent a death between one of us (co-workers). And I have to take it because I have to go overseas, plus my two nephews and niece have COVID right now.”

And 49-year-old Andrew Miller was one of the many outsiders who made use of the opportunity. The taxi operator told the Observer that while sceptical about the vaccine, he believes it offers a level of protection against the virus.

“After really seeing what’s going on in the country and understanding the virus, I have to really keep myself safe because I run taxi. Me afi out deh with the COVID every day, and I don’t know who me a mingle with. So I think it’s best fi me fi take the vaccine. You have to do it for your own self. We don’t know about the long-term thing, but fi now, this is what we have to do,” he said.

“This happening here was very convenient for me. It was easy, effective, everything. I didn’t have to go through any hassling. [Someone] told me about it and I just come and do it. I came and registered and go through smoothly and got it. Now I have the appointment for the second one.”

Dwight Balli, production director at J Wray & Nephew, said there were still a lot of questions about vaccines but because of “a particular family history” it was necessary to take it.

“I am one of those high-risk individuals, so it’s important for me to get vaccinated. I know there are different options and I appreciate that the Government is looking to add other options, in terms of vaccines, because different people have different concerns and the more options that are presented to the public, I think there will be more compliance.”

It’s his hope that more private sector entities will come on-board.

“I can understand the destruction that has taken place in the business sector in the last 18 months, and I think it’s in our interest as the business community to support the Government in this effort, making sure first, that people comply with the regulations and secondly, spreading the word about vaccination so people can make informed choices.”

Tanikie McCarthy Allen, senior director for public affairs and sustainability, told the Observer that the target was to have 300 people vaccinated. That’s a composition of staff, staff dependents and community members invited.

Added McCarthy Allen: “We actually started working on this with the Private Sector Vaccine Initiative, first of all encouraging persons to take advantage of the blitz sites at various locations, and then going further now to work with them to see how we could bring them to the staff rather than have the staff go to them. So this was ahead of that appeal for incentives. In fact, all the persons here on the ground today that have been vaccinated have not been incentivised.

“What has happened, is that they are seeing more people get vaccinated, they’re understanding that the risk is increasing with the Delta variant and they’re seeing more persons getting ill and dying, and they’re seeing the states of the hospitals.”

McCarthy Allen added that the company was not incentivising, but rather facilitating.

“We have transported our team members that come from other locations in Clarendon and St Elizabeth, we’re providing meals, we’re providing an alcohol-free bar, we are ensuring that once persons are vaccinated are given a kit with paracetamol and vitamin C so that they can recover quickly,” said McCarthy Allen.

Last week, Health Minister Dr Christopher Tufton said he was exploring providing incentives for the vaccination and urged the private sector to come onboard.