SCOTIABANK Jamaica on Wednesday hosted COVID-19 vaccination drives in Kingston and Montego Bay where more than 200 people received both first and second doses of the jab.

The bank, in a release yesterday, said it has also implemented several programmes geared at educating employees about vaccinations. These included internal campaigns and live webinars with medical doctors.

“We care about the health and well-being of our team members, and so providing access to information, opportunities for them to ask questions and then opt to get vaccinated in a safe, convenient and friendly environment have been very important to us,” said Makeba Bennett-Easy, senior vice-president of human resources at Scotiabank. She further noted that special access to opportunities, in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Wellness, the Jamaica Bankers Association, Mona Ageing & Wellness Centre, and private sector partners.

The bank, which employs more than 1,800 people, said it would continue its role as a responsible corporate citizen in helping to fight the battle against the novel coronavirus that continues to impact both lives and livelihoods.

“We are committed to supporting our team members as we navigate this pandemic and will remain focused on doing all we can to ensure their emotional, mental and physical well-being,” Bennett-Easy said. She pointed out that since March 2020 about 30 per cent of its employees have successfully been engaged in work-from-home and that the bank strictly upholds the recommended protocols.

Locally, Scotiabank has donated more than $25 million to support the responses of the local health and education sectors in their fight against the novel coronavirus. Regionally, the bank also donated millions of dollars to assist with COVID-19 relief initiatives.