Health officials apologise for long jab queues
Auckland’s top health officials are apologising to anyone stuck in queues at vaccination centres yesterday, but are confident they can keep delays to a minimum.
It comes as Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern received a strong message from an Auckland iwi leader to ensure consultation with Māori on vaccination is done appropriately.
By 1pm yesterday, more than 3200 children in Auckland had received their first dose. Meanwhile, at Papakura Marae, just over 30 under-11s were vaccinated every hour after the gates opened at 10am.
Parents hoping to get their children vaccinated at a new drive-through centre in Wairau Valley on Auckland’s North Shore waited for more than an hour as demand overwhelmed traffic management plans.
People who arrived early were told to wait in a car park next to Eventfinda Stadium ahead of the centre opening at 9am but those who arrived later began to queue on the road leading up to the site.
One parent who had arrived before 9am told the Herald the system was a “dog’s breakfast”.
That wasn’t the end of the traffic problems, however, as cars leaving the centre following vaccination clashed with those entering the premises for the stadium’s summer programmes.
“We’re really sorry that they had to wait, especially in the heat,” Auckland Covid vaccination programme clinical lead Dr Anthony Jordan said.
By midday, staff had reduced the wait to about 38 minutes.
Jordan said queuing before opening was expected and encouraged people to plan their journey for later in the day.
“I know it’s sunnier but by that time things have started to quicken up.”
For those not willing to risk being caught in a queue, Jordan advised choosing to get vaccinated at a GP, pharmacy or centre that accepted walk-ins.
Alongside those receiving childhood vaccinations were people receiving their booster shots. Among them was Ardern, who received her booster at the NgaO¯¯ti Whātua rākeiled vaccination site in St Johns, Auckland.
Iwi whai māia Rangimarie Hunia urged Ardern to ensure iwi were part of the planning process for vaccination, as opposed to having to react to Government policy implemented without proper consultation.
“We have to do whatever we can do to keep our babies safe,” Hunia said.
A group of people against vaccinating children had travelled to the North Shore centre yesterday.
Asked about those protesters, Ardern hoped they wouldn’t prevent anyone from receiving their jab.
“My preference would be that no one would have any barrier in accessing what is ultimately a medical support,” she said.
Elsewhere in the country, there had been a group of about 13 protesters at a site in New Plymouth, but that prompted no issues, according to the spokesperson.