MidCentral DHB's vaccination bus and staff all packed up and ready to head to a workplace near you. Photo / Supplied
MidCentral DHB's vaccination bus and staff all packed up and ready to head to a workplace near you. Photo / Supplied
Employers in the MidCentral District Health Board region are being encouraged to bring vaccination clinics into their worksites.
The pop-up clinics have already been operating successfully through partnerships with iwi providers around the rohe, and are proving popular with both large and small workplaces.
Two medium and two large employers in the Horowhenua region have been more than happy to jump on board with this initiative.
Catherine Lewis, of Lewis Farms on State Highway 1, Poroutawhao, said the DHB contacted the business to see if it would be interested in taking part.
"Within a few days of that initial phone call the clinic was set up on site and we had 20 of our staff take up the chance to be vaccinated," she said.
Lewis Farms believed that as an essential business in the local area, and with the concern of possible future level changes, it just made sense to take the lead in helping staff to get vaccinated.
Alliance Meats in Levin has taken up MidCentral DHB's offer to provide pop-up worksite vaccination clinics for its employees. Photo / Supplied
Keri Monk, of Mainfreight Levin, agreed frontline businesses need to show a commitment to the local community, by ensuring they can continue operating and keep people safe during this pandemic.
"There was no pressure on our staff to participate in the vaccination site visit, but we did encourage those who were taking part to bring other members of their household in to be vaccinated at the same time," he said.
Woodhaven Gardens, which employs more than 200 locals, had already provided workplace Covid vaccinations for its staff in June-July, with the assistance of Horowhenua Community Practice.
"We are really committed to getting this done, so were more than happy to have a mobile unit come on site again," said Woodhaven Gardens spokeswoman Debra Adin.
"We look at it as future-proofing so we're happy to even take our staff to other sites like Berry's Pharmacy and the Horowhenua Events Centre to get vaccinated."
Mark Lewis, of Alliance Meats, agreed large, essential workforces need to prepare for the future as far as Covid is concerned.
MidCentral DHB is providing mobile pop-up vaccination clinics for local businesses throughout the rohe. Photo / Supplied
With over 400 employees, including many Māori and Pasifika, Alliance Meats had already been investigating the possibility of having on-site vaccinations.
As well as the convenience of not having to fit in getting the jab around shift work, "we also wanted to make sure our staff had people they could talk to [in their own language] to answer any questions they had", Lewis said.
MidCentral DHB said the addition of a van to the team supported an increase in pop-up vaccination sites.
Mainfreight and Alliance Farms are both aiming for 90% vaccination rate among their employees, and will continue to take part in opportunities that make it easier for this to happen.
Woodhaven Gardens has already nailed that target - "we're very proud to say 91% of our staff are now double vaccinated," said Adin.
The pop-up workplace clinics can provide first and second doses of the vaccine to any eligible person over 12.
If any business would like to register their interest in a workplace vaccination clinic, they just need to email covacc@midcentraldhb.govt.nz with their business name, contact details and approximate number of staff.
