Pride Whanganui and DHB join forces for vaccine pop-up clinic

Pride Whanganui trustee Christina Emery says anyone is welcome to this weekend's clinic. Photo / Bevan Conley

Pride Whanganui and the Whanganui District Health Board are coming together this weekend to host a Covid-19 vaccine clinic.

While it's aimed towards the city's rainbow community, Pride Whanganui trustee Christina Emery said anyone who is supportive of it is welcome to come along.

"A lot of people have shown interest in getting it done," Emery said.

"Some have even said they'd been waiting for the Pride clinic to happen before they got vaccinated."

They will have their chance between 10am and noon on Saturday.

Whanganui's transgender, gender diverse and non-binary community could feel safe at the clinic, Emery said.

"A lot of those people's names or gender identities won't match what's on their health records.

"If you're sitting in a room full of people and they're calling out a name which isn't your name, that can be really damaging to a lot of people."

Emery said previous Pride vaccine clinics in Kapiti and Levin had been well received.

"It's about creating that space where people feel safe, where they are going to be called the correct name without any issues, and where they can have an open and honest conversation.

"If you haven't had the jab and you have questions, come along and have a chat to the DHB staff and the nurses.

"The nurses are absolutely lovely. All they want to do is put the correct information out there. If that doesn't result in you getting the vaccine they aren't going to force you."

Many members of the rainbow community were battling with anxiety already, and the idea of the clinic was to minimise any additional vaccine stress, Emery said.

The Whanganui DHB has printed out cards where people can write their preferred pronouns and correct name.

"People can come and be themselves, surrounded by people who understand and aren't going to make life difficult.

"When I went to get my vaccine, it didn't feel like there was someone there who I could talk to about it. You go to the line, you get a number, you sit down, you get your jab."

Those chats would be available at the Pride clinic, Emery said.

"It's a bit more intimate."

The first clinic will be held this Saturday, November 13, at Community House, 60 Ridgway St, Whanganui.

The second clinic is tentatively booked for Saturday, December 4.