Dozens of people have taken advantage of a pop-up Covid-19 vaccination clinic in Waitara in North Taranaki, set up to boost immunisation rates following Auckland's Covid-19 outbreak.
Tui Ora clinical nurse leader Robyn Taylor. Photo: Robin Martin
Just over 13 percent of the general population aged 16-plus is fully vaccinated in Taranaki and the rate for Māori is less than 10 percent.
Māori health provider Tui Ora is delivering the vaccine in partnership with the Taranaki District Health Board in coastal and North Taranaki.
It relocated its Waitara clinic to the Knox Church Community Hall to allow it to double the number of shots it could give while maintaining social distancing.
Clinical nurse leader Robyn Taylor said demand was up.
"There's even more response now since the alert-level 4. Even some kaimahi [staff members] who were going to get vaccinated have come in now and are wanting to be vaccinated as well, so we've had a much bigger response to people wanting it.
"Normally at Waitara because it is a smaller site we usually doing about 70 people, but today we've upped it to about 150 and tomorrow to 150 just to accommodate the response."
Taylor said the clinic would clear the backlog created when it shut down on the first day of lockdown, cater for bookings and do a small number of walk-ups.
People queue to sign in at Tui Ora's pop up clinic in Waitara. Photo: Robin Martin
She said although the clinic was for everyone, tangata whenua appreciated that the vaccine was being delivered by a Māori health provider.
"Through no particular body's fault I think there is a lot of distrust with institutions, DHB's and things like that. And I think we've built up a good rapport with our community and Waitara is a very high Māori community, so we specifically wanted to be here to respond to that call and we've had an awesome uptake from Māori here in Waitara."
Taylor said with covid-19 in the community in Auckland, the time for complacency was past.
Tui Ora would be opening similar pop-up vaccination clinics in Urenui and Mōkau next week.
Public positions
Johnstone Noble, 66, was waiting for his shot at Waitara.
Johnstone Noble had been putting off getting the vaccine. Photo: Robin Martin
He admitted he'd been putting it off because his wife was ill.
"It got booked in with the pharmacy down Waitara too, but I've been hanging off because I'm waiting for my wife to get feedback from her specialist [about whether she could have the vaccine] but because I'm the one who's got to get out and do the all the shopping and that I've got no objection to coming in today and getting it done."
Viviana Musca thought it was a moral duty to get vaccinated. Photo: Robin Martin
Viviana Musca thought getting a shot was the right thing to do.
"Because it is a duty for myself, to protect my family, to protect the members of my community. It's supposed to be a moral duty for everyone, for everyone. So I think it's a great thing."
Supermarket worker Kathy Height had done a flip-flop on the vaccine.
Supermarket worker Kathy Height had changed her mind about the vaccine. Photo: Robin Martin
"I wasn't going to have it done and then I've got elderly parents. I sort of thought oh yeah whatever, you know, but then I though no with where I work and my parents are in my bubble I'd like to keep them safe as well cause they are elderly."
She said the situation across the Ditch helped to change her mind.
"Like Australia what's going on over there it's like it's never going to go away and at the end of the day all it is is a little jab in your arm twice and then you're protected."
If there was any more motivation needed to get the vaccine, one only had to visit the queue for covid testing at Taranaki Base Hospital in New Plymouth.
There scores of people were worried they might've brought the virus into Taranaki.
This driver, who RNZ agreed not to name, had a story similar to other's in the line.
"My daughter just arrived from Auckland and she has possible contact with someone from the 101 Bar."
Ditto this mother.
"Daughters just come back from Auckland and there was a place of interest and so she's just getting tested."
Some in the queue also had symptoms.
"We've just got a bit of a runny nose and we were in Auckland so we thought we'd go and get tested."
The Taranaki District Health Board said about 500 people were tested across the province on Wednesday and 160 had been swabbed in New Plymouth by early afternoon yesterday.
So far no-one has tested positive.
The DHB was opening its main vaccination centres in New Plymouth and Hāwera again on Friday, but warning people coming in for shots to wear a mask, to maintain social distancing and be prepared for delays.