All people aged 16 and over in and around Te Awamutu can make a time to get their free COVID-19 vaccination from September 1.
At present all people aged 50-plus qualify, vaccinations opened to people aged 40-plus yesterday, and will be available to over-30s next Wednesday.
Pop-up vaccination centres will also open in the next few weeks.
Mayor Jim Mylchreest gets his Covid 19 vaccination from Te Awamutu nurse Margaret Mansell
The update coincides with the Government’s announcement that New Zealand will move from two to six weeks between doses. This will ensure more people are at least partially vaccinated as soon as possible to reduce the risk and potential impact of Delta entering the country.
Anyone who works at our border, has an underlying health condition or wants to be fully vaccinated sooner can still get their second dose after three weeks.
In a statement last week, ahead of the move to the Lockdown announcement on Tuesday, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said getting vaccinated was the number one thing everyone could do to be protected against Covid, help accelerate New Zealand’s economic recovery, reduce the risk of lockdowns, and safely allow New Zealand’s borders to begin re-opening next year.
Waikato DHB Covid vaccination programme lead Maree Munro said the DHB had already significantly increased its vaccination capacity to manage additional bookings.
“We now have community vaccination centres, general practices, pharmacies, and kaupapa Māori and pacific providers administering the vaccine in all main centres across the Waikato,” said Munro.
“Waikato DHB is also planning with kaupapa Māori providers mobile pop-up vaccination centres across the region in coming weeks to make it as easy as possible for people in the Waikato to get vaccinated,” she said.
Residents in Te Awamutu can receive book vaccinations at the Te Awamutu community vaccination centre based at Bunning.
There are also a number of vaccination providers in Cambridge, Hamilton and other neighbouring towns.
As of last Friday, people who went to BookMyVaccine.nz to book their second dose of the vaccine were offered a date six weeks from their first dose.
Anyone who had a second vaccination booking prior to August 13 – less than six weeks apart – can keep their existing appointment or delay it to six weeks if they wish to.
Waikato providers administering Covid vaccinations can be found at www.healthpoint.co.nz.
