Covid 19 vaccination centre for frontline healthcare workers opens in Tauranga

Ngāti Ranginui kaumatua Tu Pearson (centre) and Des Tata (right) officiated the opening of the Covid-19 Vaccination Centre on First Ave with a whakatau. Photo / Supplied

A Covid-19 vaccination centre for frontline healthcare workers has opened in Tauranga.

The centre, established by the Bay of Plenty District Health Board (BOPDHB), is catering to frontline healthcare workers who work in and around the city.

It is located on First Ave, near the former Farmers building, and was opened yesterday.

Healthcare workers who will be vaccinated at the centre include:

• Frontline (non-border) healthcare workers potentially exposed to Covid-19 whilst providing care.
• Frontline healthcare workers who may expose more vulnerable people to Covid-19.
• Frontline healthcare workers who work with at-risk people living in settings with a high risk of transmission or exposure to Covid-19.

An appointment system will be operating, and those being vaccinated will receive a specific date and time for their vaccination.

The announcement is part of the sequenced vaccination rollout, BOPDHB Covid-19 incident controller Trevor Richardson said.

"The Government has set out a sequence for the Covid-19 vaccination rollout," he said.

"This began with group one - our border workers, MIQ workers and their whānau, as these workers are the first line of defence against Covid-19 crossing our borders.

"The vaccination of our frontline health workforce, group two, is now also under way and the new centre will play a key role in this part of the vaccination programme."

The vaccination centre will be open Monday to Saturday from 8am to 8pm until further notice.

Further venues and information around vaccination delivery at them will be established as the rollout is continued.

Vaccinations group commencement dates

Group 1: Border and MIQ workers and the people they live with - Under way.

Group 2: High-risk frontline workers and people living in high-risk places - Under way.

Group 3: People who are at risk of getting very sick from Covid-19. This includes people who are 75 years or older, people who are 65 years to 74 years, then people with comorbidities aged under 65 years and people in custodial settings - Late May.

Group 4: The remainder of the population aged 16 years and older - Second half of 2021.

Communications campaigns will be run to make sure people are aware of the changes to different group levels and the processes around receiving their vaccinations.

In the meantime, please continue with key health behaviours, using the QR code, washing your hands, staying home if sick, wearing face coverings on public transport, and turning on Bluetooth tracing.