Vaccination centres in Nelson and Blenheim have relocated to larger venues to increase the number of vaccines delivered to residents across the top of the South Island.
Nelson Marlborough Health is aiming to provide 2000 vaccines each day in the Nelson Tasman region and 1000 a day in the Marlborough region. Photo: RNZ / Tom Kitchin
Yesterday, close to 2000 people received a vaccination at the Trafalgar Centre in Nelson and due to the increased availability, the centre was now open for walk-ins.
Essential workers, those in groups 1, 2, 3, anyone over the age of 30 and children 12 years and older were able to walk into the centre for a Covid-19 vaccine between 8am and 6pm.
The vaccination centre in Blenheim had also been relocated from Henry St to Marlborough Lines Stadium 2000.
Nelson Marlborough Health is aiming to provide 2000 vaccines each day in the Nelson Tasman region and 1000 a day in the Marlborough region.
It is a significant jump in numbers from the 3837 vaccines that were delivered across the district in the week ending 15 August.
Chief medical officer Dr Nick Baker said vaccination offered the best protection against the Delta variant of Covid-19.
"Evidence currently shows the effectiveness of two doses of the Pfizer vaccine against illness due to Delta infection is about 88 per cent and the protection against hospitalisation due to Delta infection about 96 per cent.
However, he said no vaccine was 100 per cent effective and there was some chance a vaccinated person may become infected with the Delta variant and may transmit the virus to other people.
Dr Baker said following the other precautions was critical to our chances of stopping this outbreak.
He said fully vaccinated people still needed to follow the alert level rules, seek advice if feeling unwell and to wear a mask when they leave their bubble.
Ministry of Health data to 15 August shows Nelson Marlborough District Health Board have delivered 104,949 vaccines, which is 16,120 ahead of plan, making it the second best performing health board in the country for vaccine delivery behind the Whanganui District Health Board.