The Delta variant is a highly contagious Sars-CoV-2 virus strain. Video / Paul Slater
Going door-to-door, school clinics, industrial area visits and promotions to business networks are among ways Lakes District Health Board is taking the Covid-19 vaccine to people.
Lakes District Health Board is exploring numerous options to vaccinate people other than the standard process of people visiting centres. Door to door vaccinations,visiting eligible schools and heading to industrial areas and promoting the vaccine within the business network are a few options already in use.
There are a number of vaccination centres across the DHB, such as the Te Arawa drive-through and Central Mall centre in Rotorua. In Taupō, there is a centre on Totara St and in Tūrangi, one is on Te Rangitautahanga Rd.
As of November 20, 86 per cent of people in the Lakes DHB had received their first vaccination and 76 per cent were fully vaccinated.
For Māori in the district, 75 per cent had their first vaccination and 59 per cent were fully vaccinated. The nationwide average for Māori was 79 per cent first dose, 64 per cent second.
On November 7, Counties Manukau DHB in Auckland reached the 90 per cent threshold for first doses of the vaccine. Minister for Covid-19 Response Chris Hipkins said the work of Māori and Pacific providers had a huge part to play in reaching the milestone.
People queue at the Te Arawa drive-through for a Covid-19 vaccination. Photo / Andrew Warner
"Getting to 90 per cent first doses required pulling out all the stops in Auckland. This has included literally going door to door to ensure people are vaccinated."
A Lakes DHB spokeswoman said the Ministry of Health and DHBs met frequently and were privy to each other's planning and what they had done around distributing the vaccine.
This included the street plan work undertaken in South Auckland she said.
"We have visited some people who have been unable to leave their homes for vaccination and we will continue to offer this service to ensure our vulnerable population is vaccinated," the spokeswoman said.
Anyone living alone unable to attend any of the vaccination sites available, or if people are caring for others who are unable to leave their home, can arrange for vaccination at home by calling 0800 28 29 26.
The DHB had also heard anecdotally there had been a reluctance among the industrial sector to get the vaccination.
"Industrial areas, particularly in Rotorua, are on the back doorstep of the suburbs with lower vaccination figures," the spokeswoman said.
"We are covering all pockets of the community, it's not that industrial areas are lacking above any other sector.
"Business owners have asked for on-site education sessions. Our programme co-ordinators have spoken to a large number of business owners and managers offering on-site education and vaccination at their convenience."
Lakes District Health Board is exploring numerous options to vaccinate people. Photo / George Novak
Meanwhile, with tauira (students) aged 12 and above eligible for the vaccine, the DHB had visited schools that agreed for on-site vaccinations. Rotorua Boys' High School was the first in Rotorua.
The DHB had also been doing flyer drops highlighting where community vaccine clinics were in the local area.
"We have also been using targeted text messaging for areas where we know there is a higher proportion of unvaccinated people," the spokeswoman said.
