Covid-19: Second drive-through vaccination centre opens in Auckland

Wednesday, 25 August 2021

A second drive-through vaccination centre has opened in Auckland. This one is at the Trusts Arena in Henderson.

A second drive-through vaccination site has opened in Auckland, at the Trusts Arena in Henderson.

The centre has the capacity to vaccinate 1500 people per day, and will prioritise Māori and Pacific communities, essential workers and those who were unable to attend their appointments during alert level 4.

It is the second drive-through centre launched by the Northern Region Health Co-ordination Centre (NRHCC), following the opening of Auckland’s first, and the country’s largest, near Auckland Airport on Sunday morning.

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Mass vaccination is now under way at The Trusts Arena in Henderson, which has the capacity to jab 1500 people a day.

Dr Anthony Jordan, Clinical Director at the NRHCC, said the importance of the drive-through model is that it “allows us to vaccinate safely in level 4, by keeping people in their bubble and in their cars.”

Around 400 hundred people had been vaccinated at the new centre by midday.

Both vaccination drive-through centres will only accept cars, no motorbikes or people on foot.

Those attending must bring at least one other person in the car with them and, while younger children can attend, only those 12 and up can be vaccinated.

The centre is organised into three separate stations: drivers stop to get registered, to get the vaccine administered and then to wait and be observed for 15 minutes before leaving.

If people feel unwell during this observation period, they will be asked to honk their car horn and turn on their hazard lights.

Jordan said the NRHCC hopes to deliver “about a thousand” vaccinations on its first day, based on the 800+ bookings lodged and the idea that there is “hopefully more than one person in one car”.

“We will see those numbers increasing to about 1500 once this model is fully operational,” he said.

By 9.30am on Wednesday, one hour after opening, cars were already snaking around the car park and down Central Park Drive.

By midday on Wednesday, the vaccination centre had vaccinated almost 400 people.

Dr Rawiri McKree Jansen of the National Hauora Coalition said that the centre is “absolutely dedicated” to giving the community the best protection.

“We acknowledge that, in alert level 4, the best protection is everybody staying in their bubbles and staying safe. The second best thing we can do is get vaccinated.”

McKree Jansen said the site has been designed to “work well for whānau” so that it ensures that those attending have a good experience and encourage others to come along.

John Tamihere, chief executive of Waipareira Trust, said there is particular attention going into making the centre a “welcoming space” for Māori and Pacific communities.

“We’re encouraging them to bring along their whānau, so that we can help to protect our old and young people alike.”

Alongside the NRHCC, the Waipareira Trust and the National Hauora Coalition have worked together to design the site.

The arrival of the Trusts Arena vaccination centre, which will run from 8.30am to 3.30pm until September 7, is the latest step in the government’s plan to ramp up the vaccination programme.

On Monday, the NRHCC delivered Auckland’s millionth dose of the Pfizer vaccine, while on Tuesday it delivered 20,000 vaccines in one day, “breaking a record”, said Jordan.