Covid 19 coronavirus Delta outbreak: Waipū mates spread joy at Northland vaccination clinic

A group of mates from Waipū had a dino-mite idea on how they could inject some extra joy into a Bream Bay vaccination clinic.

Three days before the country went into lockdown, four dinosaurs strolled into the Bream Bay Medical Centre in Ruakākā to help promote vaccine uptake.

The Advocate caught up with one of the prehistoric creatures Patsy Beverwijk, who said kids were gobsmacked when they saw dino versions of herself, husband Allan, and good friends Bruce Gabbsy and Jo Batchelor.

"It was for fun, to make people laugh. The receptionist was hilarious, she just loved it," Beverwijk said. "People were so excited."

The "Jurassic-aged" group, Beverwijk said, had received their vaccinations and wanted to help spread the word the Ruakākā vaccination centre was open to anybody to receive their jabs.

Their latest video at Bream Bay Medical Centre received more than 48,800 views and 7000-plus likes.

Their recent antics have extinguished any fears the dinosaurs, who first gained online fame during last year's lockdown, had become extinct.

Beverwijk said they'd started documenting their lockdown adventures last year on their Tik Tok account (@waipugoodlife) from their "dinosaur sanctuary" in Waipū.

"When lockdown started and we were stuck at home, we said let's do something fun."

They took part in some, not so prehistoric errands, such as tractor driving, baking, and picking up groceries at the Waipū Four Square.

"We did it until level two when we released them back into the wild. The response has been really positive," Beverwijk said.

Before that the dinosaurs were, naturally, a festive tradition among the group of friends.

"Waipū has a Christmas parade every year on Christmas Eve. We're big parade people...we've been going in the Christmas parade as dinosaurs."