UrBC, Magnitogorsk, November 19, 2019. Magnitogorsk Iron & Steel Works (MMK) is coordinating its usual seasonal immunization campaign (the flu shots are free of charge for MMK Group’s employees), MMK’s Information & PR Department reports.

‘This year, MMK Group’s management tripled the amount of funds to cover the flu shots. 9,000 workers got vaccinated last year and as many as 26,000+ employees are expected to get vaccinated by the end of this year’s campaign. The free flu shots are available at any of the forty medical units on the company’s production site; thirteen units are open 24/7,’ the company says.

Deputy Dean for HR at MMK’s Central Clinical Medical/Sanitary Unit Elena Kostryukova says the immunization campaign will be in progress through December 25. The employees get vaccinated with a foreign vaccine that proved quite efficient in the previous years, contains relevant flu strains, and has very few or no side effects. According to the epidemiologists’ forecasts for this season, the incidence rate will peak in January and February of next year, so those who haven’t got their shots yet can still do so.

‘The many years of flu shot campaigns at MMK proved an excellent practice. The incidence data indicate that vaccinated employees get flu less often and need fewer sick leave days,’ MMK says.