14 Sep 2021

Covid-19: Prime Minister pushing people to go to drive through, walk in vaccination centres

From Morning Report, 7:22 am on 14 September 2021

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says they will continue to emphasise people going to drive-through clinics as the easiest way to get vaccinations done.

"What we're trying to continue to drive people through, and towards, are things like those drive through clinics, those walk in clinics," she told Morning Report.

"Places where we can do a large number very easily, but without for instance, having to pre-book."

Ardern told Morning Report that using mobile vans to reach into communities is also being built into services.

"Already happening in some areas, it's just how large scale it will be in the future."

She said such an approach has already been used in some cases, such as reaching the homeless.

Urge for Aucklanders to get vaccinated

Ardern is backing a goal for 220,000 Aucklanders to get vaccinated this week, as the city enters its fifth week in alert level 4.

Authorities in the city are aiming to hit that number, which would eclipse previous records. 

Ardern said now is as good a time as any to do it.

"This week, while we're in that level 4 we've got that in principle decision to move out next Tuesday, let's use this week to get vaccinated."

Cabinet has agreed in principle to move Auckland to alert level 3 from next week, but this will be reviewed on Monday 20 September.