Flu Shots Don’t Miss a Beat at Gramercy

Allison Jackson makes a face as she gets a flu shot at the Gramercy Plant.

When the whistle blows for shift change at Imperial Sugar’s Gramercy refinery, employees usually hand off their responsibilities to their co-workers and go their merry way. But recently, they briefly changed their routine and stopped by the refinery’s visitor center to take advantage of the company’s free flu shot program.

Jessica Flowers and Manicia Lidell, two nurses from VaxAmerica (a subsidiary of FFF Enterprises, the nation’s largest distributor of flu vaccine), administered flu shots to 87 Gramercy employees – nearly a third of the total workforce – in one day, alone, starting at before first light, and continuing way past dusk.

Comments ranged from “Didn’t hurt a bit” to “I hate shots” to “Do I get a lollipop?” The most prevalent comment, however, was a simple one – “OW!” – followed by a smile.

“Given that the seasonal flu takes a serious toll on our workforce, it’s important to limit the spread of any virus that can affect our people,” said Keith Griffin, Gramercy Human Resource Manager. “We’re providing this service not just in terms of productivity, but because it’s the right thing to do for our people and their families.”