18 Jul 2021

Waikato's vaccination efforts set to accelerate with centre opening

10:24 am on 18 July 2021

Waikato's largest community Covid-19 vaccination centre will open on Tuesday as inoculation starts to accelerate in the region.

A worker on the frontline of Auckland's Jet Park Hotel quarantine facility being vaccinated against Covid-19 on 20 February 2021.

Photo: Supplied / Ministry of Health

The centre at the Base shopping mall in Te Rapa, north of Hamilton, is a partnership between Waikato Tainui and the district health board.

It will have the capacity to vaccinate up to 1000 people a day.

The DHB's vaccination programme manager, Maree Munro, said it was the first step of a rollout of vaccination services in other centres.

"We are looking at additional sites around the outskirts of Hamilton or on the boundaries in Cambridge, Morrinsvale and Te Awamutu, those areas, along with moving further out," she said.

She said mobile sites would be going to marae, and pharmacies and medical centres will also be providing shots.

Get the RNZ app

for ad-free news and current affairs