Auckland could be prioritised for COVID jabs: Bloomfield

By MiNDFOOD

Auckland could be prioritised for COVID jabs: Bloomfield

New Zealand’s director-general of health Dr Ashley Bloomfield says Auckland could be prioritised for vaccinations if the government is unable to secure further vaccine supply.

He told RNZ that vaccine supply could be slowed elsewhere around the country to ensure Auckland maintains its rate of vaccinations.

“At the moment, everywhere in the country’s got all the stops pulled out, is going really hard out on the vaccinations … as the prime minister said, we’re looking at every opportunity there is to see if we can get some additional vaccine in to help keep that rate at the high level it is through September,” Bloomfield said.

“But what I would say is of course, if there is any need to move vaccine around the country, that’s one part of it, but the other is of course making sure the staff are there to support Auckland to vaccinate, so we’re just looking at all the options should they be needed.”

Bloomfield told Morning Report one of the options at the “top of the list” would be “not slowing things down in Auckland”.

“Rather than moving supply around, it would just be slowing things down around the rest of the country so that Auckland can maintain its high rate, and that could include helping out Auckland with staff.”

It comes as the government is trying to secure more vaccine to avoid running out before large supply drops which are scheduled for October.

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