Covid-19 coronavirus Delta outbreak: Wellington's rough sleepers vaccinated at special clinic

Downtown Community Ministry has held two vaccination clinics. Photo / Supplied

Wellington's rough sleepers and those living in emergency housing are being vaccinated at a special clinic.

The Downtown Community Ministry (DCM) has jointly run clinics with Te Aro Health.

DCM works with people to find housing, access a benefit and manage their money, and to connect to whānau, health and other services and supports

Over two clinics, one operating last week in lockdown, 106 doses of the vaccine were administered.

Of these, 50 people received their first dose in the July clinic. Meanwhile, in the August clinic 56 jabs were administered, 24 of which second doses.

The Downtown Community Ministry has jointly run clinics with Te Aro Health. Photo / Supplied

DCM director Stephen Turnoch said the clinics have targeted those who are isolated and marginalised.

This included the city's rough sleepers and those in emergency housing as well as some in transitional housing, he said.

"They feel confident to come first to us to sit and listen and ask questions and be able to make a decision.

"Most importantly is that we recognise that this is a population that is especially vulnerable to issues such as Covid and many other health aspects."

The clinics have been run in partnership with Te Aro Health. The next one is being held on September 29.

Turnoch said prior to alert level 4, DCM also ran information sessions on the vaccine.

"In terms of people being able to know exactly from a health perspective what this means and what the vaccine is. You can tell that they've then gone away and actually thought about it."

Capital and Coast DHB reported yesterday that more than 50 per cent of people in its region have now had at least one dose of the vaccine.

Last week was its biggest week yet, with nearly 67,000 doses delivered at 68 different clinics.

Nationwide, more than 50 per cent of the eligible population has also received at least one vaccine dose.

Of the 3.33 million doses of the vaccine administered to date, 2.17 million are first doses and 1.16 million are second doses.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said yesterday that rates of vaccinations would be looked at during the week to see how long current levels could be maintained while having enough in stock.

Over 300,000 doses had been delivered weekly and Ardern said she was working on whether New Zealand could "move beyond that".