Kellie Kenton receives a Covid jab at Ashburton's Allenton Pharmacy on Saturday, administered by vaccinator Nigel Dean. Photo / Adam Burns / LDR
The convenience offered by walk in vaccination clinics are set to become more frequent in Mid-Canterbury.
Another walk-in clinic was held at the weekend at Ashburton's Allenton Pharmacy which attracted pedestrians off the street to line up for a vaccine.
It follows a clinic that was held in Hinds last week as Canterbury health leaders endeavor to accelerate the vaccination rates in the regions.
Vaccination rates in the Ashburton district, which have copped criticism, were again struggling along as of last week, with local numbers only a fraction of those recorded nationally.
Figures reported by the Ministry of Health suggests Ashburton as the third-worst performing district in the country.
As of last week, more than 53 per cent of Mid Cantabrians had received their first dose and more than 22 per cent of the population were fully vaccinated.
About 83 people received jabs at Allenton's four-hour clinic with no doses left over.
"We were very lucky, we had no wastage," pharmacy owner Carolyn Cameron said.
"It was a really good (response)."
Cameron said there would be further walk-ins in the coming weeks.
"I think people are wanting to go where it's convenient for them," she said.
"Some people haven't been able to book because places are all booked up or people are forgetting to cancel for whatever reason.
"Some of those people (on Saturday) were ones who were just walking past and saw that we were doing no bookings."
The Canterbury District Health Board is urging vaccination clinics to start offering drop-in clinics if the capacity and resourcing enables them to, Cameron said.
Allenton Pharmacy was looking at offering another walk-in clinic this weekend.
"We've had feedback from people today who were unable to come down and asked if we were going to do it again," Cameron said.
"Hopefully we can do it again this Saturday, we don't have to do it all day."
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