Mass jabs clinic for Stratford

After the last mass vaccination clinics saw nearly half of Stratford jabbed, the district mayor has successfully lobbied for another one to come to town.

The clinic will run from the War Memorial Hall for five days next week, offering first, second, booster and children’s doses.

It was initiated by Stratford Mayor Neil Volzke after he noticed that businesses in the town offering vaccinations were ‘‘really being stretched’’.

‘‘I was in town on a Saturday, and at the pharmacy queues were out the door,’’ Volzke said. ‘‘It struck me. They can’t get the volume of people through.’’

While New Plymouth and South Taranaki have dedicated jab centres, Stratford only has pharmacies and medical centres. These can do about 20 jabs a day each, Volzke said.

‘‘For central Taranaki, there hasn’t been the same opportunities.’’

So Volzke contacted the Taranaki District Health Board (TDHB).

‘‘I suggested to them that we should have another clinic here, following the success of the last one,’’ he said. ‘‘Last year we did 4000 vaccinations in the clinics.’’

Volzke was also to thank for the last mass clinics coming to the district.

In June, he criticised the TDHB after the district’s older population were left facing a drive to either New Plymouth or Hāwera for their vaccine, when they were supposed to have received their jabs the previous month.

The August clinics were a success, and there were lengthy queues snaking around the hall

‘‘the whole time’’, Volzke said.

The upcoming clinic, which will be run by Ngāruahine, Pinnacle and the TDHB, will open on Wednesday

February 2, and run until Sunday, February 6, between noon and 7pm.

Volzke said feedback from the last clinics had helped decide the hours, which would allow people who work during the day to pop in later.

While booking is encouraged, it is not essential, and people are welcome to walk in – even if they’re not Stratford based.

‘‘We won’t be turning anyone away.’’