Local Focus: Super Saturday also Super Sunday for Whanganui

Whanganui's Super Saturday Covid-19 vaccination drive is extending to a Super Sunday.

The emphasis is on fun and giveaways, but vaccine rollout coordinator Louise Allsop said geographic isolation was a barrier for many.

"We are not tracking as well as we would like, actually. We know that there are quite a number of people in our community who haven't come forward to get vaccinated yet," she said.

"I think we've got to take responsibility for that as a district health board (DHB) because we haven't reached those people.

"So we want to make it easier for those people to be able to get vaccinated.

"We've got a big geographical area to cover and big rural area - but actually low population density.

"So we haven't got loads of providers just sitting out there with no work to do."

Many towns in the Whanganui region were vulnerable because they were popular stop-offs for travellers between Auckland and Wellington.

While remoteness was a barrier for many, so too was disability, but those unable to easily leave their homes could just pick up the phone, Allsop said.

"They don't need to come to us and have massive stress in terms of coming out of the house - we'll come to them.

"We just need to know where you are and how we can get to you, really, and what's the best time for you."

She said this weekend was also for the undecided.

"They'll be able to just have conversations with people, so if people don't want their vaccination on Super Saturday that's fine - just come along and talk to us.

"Talk to us about what your worries are and we will have people there who can just spend a bit of time with you and talk about the Covid vaccination and just some of those facts."

• For more information about Whanganui's Super Saturday and Sunday or anytime, visit the district health board website or call Healthline.