Cars line up at the Pohe Island Covid testing station as hundreds are tested daily by Northland DHB across the region.
Photo / Michael Cunningham
Cars line up at the Pohe Island Covid testing station as hundreds are tested daily by Northland DHB across the region.
Photo / Michael Cunningham
The largest single Covid vaccination clinic vaccinating hundreds on any given day in Northland will trial extended opening hours once new guidelines under level 4 lockdown are put in place.
Ngāti Hine Health Trust will re-commence clinics in Whangārei on Wednesday and Thursday next week following a change in rulesto allow for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and social distancing during administering of jabs.
Northland does not have a known Covid case at present.
There were 21 Delta Covid cases in Auckland, including two in hospital, reported yesterday afternoon and the New Zealand outbreak has now been linked to a traveller from Sydney. Twelve of the 21 have been confirmed as part of the same Auckland cluster. A further eight were being investigated and expected to be part of the cluster.
Two people, one in their 20s and one in their 40s, were in North Shore Hospital. Both were stable yesterday.
Ngāti Hine Health Trust chief executive Geoff Milner said vaccinators in Whangārei, Kawakawa, Moerewa, and Russell dealt with more than 400 Maori and Pacific Islanders daily and he expected the numbers to rise as the eligibility age for a Covid jab has been lowered.
"Vaccination guidelines under level 4 are quite significant so we need time to put them into place before resuming the clinics in Whangārei next week. We're not like the national booking system but we do get enough people.
"On Wednesday next week, we'll trial opening late until 7pm in Whangārei. There is a component of walk-ins, generally provision for another 100, but it's predominantly a booking system," Milner said.
The trust runs GP clinics in Kawakawa and Moerewa and Milner said he expected people to be a lot more anxious to get vaccinated as they have a lot more choices on where they wanted to get their jabs.
"People should also look to their GPs and DHB clinics because the capability in Northland has lifted significantly," he said.
Ngāti Hine Health Trust chief executive Geoff Milner said there were a number of places Northlanders could have a Covid jab.
Photo / Michael Cunningham
There were 648 Covid tests done at Northland DHB clinics on Wednesday.
Anyone who has travelled outside of Northland, in particular to a location of interest in Auckland and Coromandel, recently needs to have a test.
Northland DHB has set up limited vaccination clinics across the region this week that are open only for people with a booked appointment and anyone who is symptomatic and asymptomatic who has visited a location of interest in Auckland and Coromandel.
People who had appointments cancelled on Wednesday or Thursday this week will hear from the Northland DHB soon and will be rebooked.
NDHB figures show 37,816 people have received both doses of the vaccine in Northland, and 19,865 people are yet to receive their second dose.
A queue of about a dozen vehicles on Sammaree Place in Kerikeri as people wait to get Covid tests.
Photo / Peter de Graaf
Some of the people included in these figures may have got their first or second dose outside of the region.
Some surgeries, procedures and other appointments at NDHB hospitals will continue and patients will be contacted if their appointment has been changed or postponed.
If patients don't get a call, they should attend their appointment.
"Health Services are here if you need them. And you can travel to access healthcare if you need it," Jeanette Wedding, Senior Responsible Officer for NDHB's Covid-19 vaccination programme, said.
Wedding could not provide the number of surgical and other appointments that have had to be rescheduled.
She is reminding the public that the national alert level 4 visitor policy is now in place at Northland DHB facilities.
One support person in a facemask can accompany a child, women in labour and those receiving end of life care. No other visitors are allowed.
Staff who have an underlying health condition, are over 70 years old or are pregnant have a Covid-19 Occupational Health Risk Assessment to guide their working arrangements which could include working from home or redeployment to a lower risk work area.
From Wednesday this week, people aged 40 and over can make their appointment for Covid vaccination – go to https://bookmyvaccine.covid19.health.nz/ to make your booking.
For more information about testing go to Northland Community Based Testing Centres at www.northlanddhb.org.nz/home/covid-19/covid-19-northland-hub/northland-community-testing-centres/
NDHB is also reminding the public that pharmacies are open at level 4 and prescriptions can be collected as normal. Masks must be worn and two-metre distancing is required.
