Tomorrow is the last day for people aged 12 and over to ensure they are fully vaccinated in time for Christmas.
For Aucklanders wanting to be reunited with family for Christmas, Thursday is the last chance to ensure time for both vaccinations and access to a vaccine pass before centres shut down for the Christmas break on December 23.
Northern Region Health Coordination Centre vaccination programme director, Matt Hannant, says for those who have put off walking into a vaccination centre, their GP or driving up to an event in their neighbourhood, now is the time to do it.
“With Auckland moving into the traffic light system at red on Friday, and the border opening up in just over two weeks, it’s vital that those waiting don’t wait any longer.
“The best way to protect your whānau over the holidays is to ensure you are fully vaccinated, and it also opens up many more freedoms for you to fully enjoy the Kiwi summer.”
The big push for vaccinations in Tāmaki Makaurau also coincides with the Auckland District Health Board closing in on the 90% first dose milestone for Māori, the first DHB to be so close.
Special vaccination events
“We have just over 200 more Māori to be vaccinated in the Auckland DHB area to hit this milestone so we’re really encouraging whānau to come in this week and get protected for Christmas.”
Whānau Ora is holding a special 12-hour vaccination event on Saturday, with a concert in the afternoon that will feature a line-up of bands and musicians, including Rob Ruha. The first 1,000 people to get vaccinated will receive a free hāngī pack and go in the draw to win spot prizes such as return flights to Queenstown, cell phones and gift vouchers.
Ira Kōkō (Santa Dot) is also coming to town, with the big man in red and his elves visiting a string of pop-up vaccination hubs across the city, with the main event at Rainbow’s End in Manukau.
There will still be some sites open over the Christmas holiday period, including some local GPs and pharmacies, to help anyone who decides to get vaccinated over the break but most of the community-based centres will be shut down from December 23.
Full details of opening hours and sites can be found at vaccinateforauckland.nz
Bookings are also available for people opting to get the AstraZeneca vaccine.