Vaccination under way
Port workers receive Covid jabs as campaign rolls out in the South
The first 30 Southland and Otago residents have received their Covid-19 vaccinations ahead of the official start of the Southern District Health Board roll-out campaign starting today.
Yesterday’s vaccinations administered at South Port and Port Otago were a trial run, a spokesperson said, with up 370 port workers expected to get the jab this week.
First in line will be the 225 border facing staff at Port Otago, followed by about 45 workers from the New Zealand Aluminium Smelter who work at its international berth.
Another 100 workers at South Port in Bluff will be vaccinated tomorrow.
The vaccination requires two doses and the second will be administered in three weeks’ time, the spokesperson said.
The immunisation clinics will be administered by trained vaccinators from general practices in Dunedin and Invercargill, with support from the WellSouth Primary Health Network and Southern DHB’s Public Health Immunisation Team.
The doses were transported to Dunedin and Invercargill in special containers from the ultralow temperature storage facility in Auckland. Southern DHB medical officer of health Dr Susan Jack called the roll-out ‘‘a milestone for our district’’.
‘‘We are extremely grateful to the ports for all of their assistance in getting this important vaccination work started, and particularly for helping to protect their communities,’’ she said.
According to the Ministry of Health, border-facing staff and those at high risk of coming into contact with Covid-19 are the first priority for vaccinations.
They will be followed by the high-risk frontline health workforce and emergency services, with at-risk community members and social service workers next in line.
Vaccinations for the wider public are expected in the second half of this year.
In the meantime, Jack asked Southlanders to remain vigilant, maintain good hygiene and continue to record their movements.