Less Than 24 Hours Left To Get Both Doses In Time For Christmas

Tomorrow is the last day for people aged 12 and over to ensure they are fully vaccinated in time for Christmas.

If you haven’t yet had a first dose and you want to travel out of Auckland to be reunited with family for Christmas then Thursday 2 December is your last chance to ensure you’re getting double vaccinated before that Christmas shut down and access your vaccine pass.

On Thursday, people can head to any of the community vaccination centres across Auckland or to one of the 300+ vaccinating GPs and pharmacies to receive their dose, or they can visit the following pop-up events:

• Otahuhu Business Group Return - Thu 2 Dec, 9am - 5:30pm, King Street Carpark, Otahuhu
• CV Compton - Thu 2 Dec, 6:30am-8:30am, 90 Marys Road, Onehunga
• Orakei Marae - Thu 2 Dec, 9am - 2pm, 59B Kitemoana Street, Orakei
• Muriwai Golf Club - Thu 2 - Fri 3 Dec, 9am - 3pm, 101 Coast Road, Muriwai

NRHCC vaccination programme director, Matt Hannant, says for those who have put off walking into a vaccination centre, their GP or driving up to an event in their neighbourhood, now is the time to do it.

“With Auckland moving into the traffic light system at red on Friday, and the border opening up in just over two weeks, it’s vital that those waiting don’t wait any longer.

“The best way to protect your whānau over the holidays is to ensure you are fully vaccinated, and it also opens up many more freedoms for you to fully enjoy the kiwi summer.”

The big push for vaccinations in Tāmaki Makaurau also coincides with Auckland DHB closing in on the 90 percent first dose milestone for Māori, and becoming the first DHB in the country to be close to this achievement.

“We have just over 200 more Māori to be vaccinated in the Auckland DHB area to hit this milestone so we’re really encouraging whānau to come in this week and get protected for Christmas.”

Whānau Ora is holding a special 12-hour vaccination event on Saturday, with a concert in the afternoon that will feature a line-up of bands and musicians, including Rob Ruha. The first 1,000 people to get vaccinated will receive a free hāngī pack and go in the draw to win spot prizes such as return flights to Queenstown, cell phones and gift vouchers.

And Ira Kōkō Santa Dot is also coming to town, with the big man in red and his elves visiting a string of pop-up vaccination hubs across the city, with the main event at Rainbow’s End in Manukau.

Most community vaccination centres in Auckland will have a period of shutdown for Christmas Day and the main public holidays, with December 23 the final day before Christmas.

There will still be some sites open over the Christmas holiday period, including some local GPs and pharmacies, to help anyone who decides to get vaccinated over the break.

People can walk in at any of our vaccination centres, many of which operate seven days a week. The Albany community vaccination centre, which had been due to close last weekend, will now remain open through until the middle of 2022.

Full details of opening hours and sites can be found at vaccinateforauckland.nz

If you’re over 18 years old and it’s been at least six months since your second dose, you are now eligible for a booster dose. You can book an appointment online using the Book My Vaccine website or by calling 0800 28 29 26. Booster doses are available at all community vaccination centres and vaccinating GPs and pharmacies.

And for those wanting to get the AstraZeneca vaccine, bookings can now be made online at Book My Vaccine. Here’s a link to an interactive map showing the list of vaccination sites across Tāmaki Makaurau that are offering the AstraZeneca vaccine: vaccinateforauckland.nz

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