Vaccinations site sought for our vulnerable
Tauranga or Whakatane only options
The Bay of Plenty District Health Board (BOPDHB) started the Government’s Covid-19 vaccination programme last month which is being rolled out in four groups.
Group 1 and 2 includes border workers, frontline healthcare staff, Ma¯ ori and Pacific kauma¯ tua and their wha¯nau. Group 3 are those at risk of getting very sick from Covid-19, people 75 years or older, people 65 to 74 years, then people with medical conditions aged under 65 years.
The remainder of the population aged 16 years and older are in Group 4 and will be vaccinated in the second half of 2021.
Those in Group 3 who are 65-plus years need to book for their free Covid-19 immunisation — Katikati folk are expected to make their bookings at Tauranga or at Whakatane Hospital.
Katikati Community Health Trust (KCHT) members feel this is unacceptable for the older, frail patients and residents to have to travel, since many of them have no transport.
Trust deputy chairman Brendan Gibbs says it is ludicrous for people to have to go to Tauranga or Whakatane to have the Covid vaccination.
KCHT member and vice president of Tauranga and WBOP Grey Power Association David Marshall aired his concern with the BOPDHB that the only site being offered in the Western Bay of Plenty is at the First Ave Covid19 Immunisation Centre in Tauranga.
“While this is fine for the ablebodied over 65-year-olds, it is a real blow to our most vulnerable frail elderly — many of whom are unlikely to have a drivers licence, or lack confidence in driving such a distance on SH2 from Katikati and beyond.”
Cross-Sector Covid Response operations manager Helen De Vere said they are actively investigating sites across the Bay of Plenty, including Katikati, and plan to have a vaccination site set up sometime in June.
Working with iwi and kaupapa Ma¯ori providers to protect community elders was a major focus, said BOPDHB Pou Tikanga Graham Cameron.
“With reference to our kuia and kauma¯tua here in the Bay of Plenty, the korero we’ve had with our iwi and Ma¯ori communities has clearly demonstrated the concern they have for their elders,” he said.
Cameron said community buy-in was already high for the campaign.
Meanwhile, over 700 people at Aged Residential Care (ARC) facilities were vaccinated in the first week of the programme being rolled out there, said BOPDHB chief medical officer Kate Grimwade.
“We have contracted Cicada Healthcare, who are experienced with undertaking flu vaccination campaigns in the ARC sector, to undertake this vital work. They have vaccinators who are very experienced in the ARC environment and that work is continuing at pace.”
She said over 700 staff and residents received their initial vaccinations in the first week of the campaign, which started on April 19. The work started in the Western Bay of Plenty and moved to the Eastern Bay on May 3.
Communications campaigns will
be run to make sure people are aware of the changes to different group levels and the processes around receiving their vaccinations.
In the meantime, please continue with key health behaviours, using the QR code, washing your hands, staying home if sick, wearing face coverings on public transport, and turning on bluetooth tracing.