Hawke's Bay: Covid-19 vaccine clinic coming to Waimarama marae

Waimarama marae is due to host a Covid-19 vaccination clinic. Photo / Warren Buckland

Hawke's Bay's first community Covid-19 vaccination clinics are almost here, with bookings being taken for one in Waimarama.

As of May 4, 6331 people in Hawke's Bay had received their first dose of the Covid vaccine – a jump of 2361 since April 26. A total of 1710 have had the second vaccination.

A flyer is now being distributed to the Waimarama community explaining a Covid-19 vaccination clinic is set to be held "soon" at Waimarama marae.

Hawke's Bay District Health Board told Hawke's Bay Today the clinic will be run by Choices - Kahungunu Health Services, with the support of the DHB.

Choices - Kahungunu Health Services offers accessible and affordable healthcare to all whānau ora, specialising in Māori and Pacific Islands women and children.

A HBDHB spokeswoman said the flyer has been sent to the local community to get bookings and gauge interest among locals.

"No dates have been finalised," she said.

Residents are asked to provide their full name and phone number, and will be contacted directly with a time and date for their vaccine appointment.

The flyer also aims to determine how many people would need support with transport to the clinic.

According to the leaflet, the clinic will offer the Covid vaccine to those in the Waimarama community.

The HBDHB spokeswoman said they are in the process of finalising a range of vaccine clinics throughout Hawke's Bay.

Dates and venues for these are yet to be finalised.

Public Health nurse and Covid-19 educator Linda St George was the first person in the region to have the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine at the start of March.

Nationwide, 217,603 people had received their first dose, with 87,297 having had the second.