Thousands of vaccines available this week
We have thousands of appointments available in the next week at the Trafalgar Centre vaccination centre in Nelson and Stadium 2000 centre in Blenheim.
The centres are safe, big enough to allow for physical distancing and there is lots of parking.
It’s ok to travel within your district to your appointment in Nelson or Blenheim so that you can book an appointment time earlier than you would at one of the smaller locations. For example, if you live in Richmond you can travel to Nelson. Or if you live in Picton, travel to Blenheim.
Booking online is easy. Go to Book My Vaccine to book now, change your appointment, book for someone else, find out if you are an essential worker in Group 2 and more: www.BookMyVaccine.nz
If it’s your turn for a vaccine you can also bring your 12-15 year olds with you for their vaccine, when you have an appointment at the Trafalgar Centre or Stadium 2000.
For people aged 30-39
We are offering the vaccine to people aged 30-39 in our region ahead of the national roll-out schedule. If you are 30-39, use the code we texted or emailed you this weekend when you book online or phone 0800 28 29 26. If you didn't get a text or email and are aged 30-39 call 0800 28 29 26 and the booking team will be able to get you an appointment.
For essential workers aged younger than 30
Essential workers are now in Group 2, so can book their vaccine online (using group 2 as category) or by phoning the 0800 number and declaring themselves as a Group 2 worker. The definition of essential worker is people who work in:
- Supermarkets and dairies
- Petrol stations
- Licensing trusts
- Pharmacies
- Food banks
- Self-service laundries
- Hardware and DIY stores
- Accommodation services
- Passenger services (including public transport services) provided by means of road, rail, air, or sea
- School hostels
- Social and community-based services provided to support persons to maintain critical well-being, or as crisis support for people who are unsafe or homeless.
From Dr Nick Baker, Chief Medical Officer, Nelson Marlborough Health
Vaccination is your best protection against the Delta variant
Being fully vaccinated gives you a high degree of protection against Delta infection, and an even higher degree of protection against severe illness, hospitalisation and death. Evidence currently shows the effectiveness of two doses of the Pfizer vaccine against illness due to Delta infection is about 88% and the protection against hospitalisation due to Delta infection about 96%.
However, no vaccine is 100% effective so there is some chance that a vaccinated person may become infected with the Delta variant and may transmit the virus to other people.
This is why all the other precautions are critical to our chances of stopping this outbreak. Fully vaccinated people still need to follow the Alert Level rules, seek advice if they start to feel unwell and wear a mask when they leave their bubble.
It’s really important that you go home to your bubble after a COVID-19 test and try and stay in your bubble until you have received a negative result.