Saturday, April 20, 2024

Vaccination rollout gathers momentum

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Covid-19 vaccinations at Bruce McLaren Retirement Village have gone well. Here nurse Bich Nguyen administers a dose to resident Marilyn Johnson. Times photos Wayne Martin

Residents and staff have received their Covid vaccinations at Bruce McLaren Retirement Village in Chapel Road, Howick.

First doses were given on May 25 and second shots on June 15.

Meanwhile the plan for vaccine rollout for the general population was announced last week.

New Zealanders over 60 will be offered a vaccination from July 28 and those over 55 from August 11, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said.

The rollout of the vaccine to the general population will be done in age groups as is the approach commonly used overseas, with those over 45 years to receive vaccine invitations from mid to late August, those over 35 years from mid-to-late September, and everyone else being eligible from October.

“Our vaccination programme is ahead of plan, with nearly one million doses administered and operating at 107 per cent of target,” Ardern said.

Howick’s Bruce McLaren Retiremnt Village resident Betty Gate is happy to have recieved her Covid 19 vaccination, pictured here with Village manager Chantelle Hand.

“From the end of July we will enter a new phase of our vaccination programme when we start receiving the bulk of our vaccines and are able to broaden the rollout considerably to the wider population.

“We’re rolling out the vaccine based on age bands because it’s a simple approach most commonly used overseas and because the risk of Covid increases as you get older.

“When it’s your age bands’ turn to be vaccinated you will receive an invitation from the Ministry of Health to make a booking. You will get this invite either by email, text, mail or by phone.

“People will be asked to use the new Book My Vaccine online national booking tool to book their first and second doses. People will also be able to phone a new national vaccination booking call centre to make a booking if they wish.”

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