Covid 19 coronavirus: Vaccine delivery delay sparks Whanganui DHB to reschedule appointments

Some Covid-19 vaccination appointments were rescheduled on Tuesday after a shipment was delayed. Photo / Bevan Conley

A delayed shipment of Covid-19 vaccines resulted in some appointments being rescheduled in Whanganui yesterday.

Whanganui District Health Board confirmed a number of people who were scheduled to receive a dose of the vaccine were turned away from their appointments, with the DHB offering to reschedule, while others waited for the arrival of the shipment.

In a statement, a Whanganui DHB spokesman said the DHB was without doses of the vaccine for around 90 minutes before the shipment arrived around midday.

Yesterday's clinic started on time with the first booking at 9am, using vaccine that had been delivered on Saturday. However, that supply ran out late in the morning and staff were still waiting for yesterday morning's delivery.

The spokesman said the DHB wasn't aware what caused the delay.

"Our deliveries come via courier van and this is the first time we have suffered such a delay."

So far in Whanganui, 1864 people have been fully vaccinated while 3256 have received their first dose.

Whanganui is currently ahead of schedule, according to data from the Ministry of Health, by almost 1500 doses as at May 16.

The DHB is still in the process of vaccinating group 2, which includes frontline healthcare and emergency workers, staff working in long-term residential care and their residents, as well as older Māori or Pacific people being cared for by whānau.

Those in vaccine group 3 are now also being vaccinated by the DHB, including those aged 65 or over, those with relevant underlying health conditions, Māori and Pasifika aged 50 and over, and people with disabilities.

People in those groups can arrange an appointment by phoning 0800 888 479.