Covid 19 coronavirus: More than half of Northland's border workers get vaccine

North Tugz Operations Manager Avinash Murthy receiving his vaccine on Monday. Photo / supplied

More than half of Northland's border workers have been vaccinated since the region's Covid-19 immunisation programme launched on Monday. Northland medical officer of health Dr Catherine Jackson said at 7am yesterday 162 border staff had received their first dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine with more bookings being made by remaining employees.
About 300 border workers and 900 household contacts have been invited to receive the vaccine.

As of midnight Tuesday, 9431 people nationally had received their first dose with more than 70 per cent of those delivered in the Auckland region.

Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said the country's latest move in the fight against the virus was fully under way.

"We are well on our way to ensuring those who are most at risk of Covid-19, the cleaners, nurses who carry out health checks in MIQ, security staff, customs and border officials, hotel workers, airline staff, port authorities and vaccinators will be protected from this virus."

This week the household contacts of Northland border workers were being offered the opportunity to book their vaccination appointments.

Jackson said the Northland District Health Board (NDHB) expected to be providing their immunisation shortly.

Northport spokesman Peter Heath said there had been an air of nervousness from staff prior to the immunisation programme starting.

"But the NDHB medical officer of health, other NDHB staff and members of the vaccination team undertaking several Q&A sessions at the port last week helped a lot."

Most people who attended the sessions signed up for a vaccine appointment afterwards, he said.

It is not mandatory to receive the vaccination in New Zealand, however Northport and the NDHB have encouraged everybody to receive the jab.

"The Ministry of Health, NDHB, Maritime New Zealand and Northport are all providing officially-sanctioned information to anybody who still isn't sure," Heath said.

Staff who felt uncomfortable sharing concerns directly with employers were able to phone the NDHB 0800 number for confidential queries.

There were no current plans for the vaccination to replace existing Covid-19 protection protocols for border workers - which included masks, gloves, and extensive testing.

Instead the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine was an added barrier of protection, Heath said.

"If and when it does become the only barrier, the question about how employers operating at entry points around the country should deal with employees who have not been vaccinated will, we imagine, become a matter for legislation."

While the logistics of the full rollout will still take time to piece together, Heath commended the work the NDHB had completed so far.

The Government recently announced a third batch of Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines had arrived in the country on Tuesday.

Hipkins said the arrival added a further 65,500 doses, raising the total number of Covid-19 vaccines in New Zealand to 200,000.

"From here, we plan to ramp up the vaccination programme, as we move to vaccinate border workers' families and household contacts."

The next in line to be offered the vaccine would be frontline health and emergency staff.