University of Otago epidemiologist Michael Baker said there was a strong argument to make the vaccine mandatory for frontline health workers. “Health care workers internationally are more vulnerable to exposure to Covid-19, and they have a higher mortality level than the rest of the population because of that.”
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Professor Michael Baker is coronavirus expert with a special interest in pandemics. He says there is a strong case to make the Covid-19 vaccination mandatory for frontline health staff. The vaccination was another form of protection, similar to PPE, for health staff, he said. Baker said he expected DHBs to know the proportion of staff vaccinated.
Vivienne vaccinating Nadia. Canterbury’s COVID-19 vaccination rollout is progressing, with residents in community-based care, including Aged Residential Care (ARC), beginning to receive vaccinations this week. This marks the start of vaccinations for Cantabrians .
About 5300 aged care residents would be vaccinated in Canterbury in total. Rosewood manager Di Topschij said the virus had “such an impact on our little community” and it was “quite special” to see the facility’s residents being vaccinated now. “These vaccinations mean a lot to the team here when we reflect on the personal toll of losing some of our beloved community to the virus last year.” Twenty residents from Rosewood were temporarily moved to Burwood Hospital in April 2020 as Covid-19 spread through the facility.
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Twelve people from Rosewood Rest Home in Linwood, Christchurch, died of Covid-19 in 2020.
As of last Wednesday, 232,588 doses had been administered across New Zealand since February 20 – with just over 60,000 Kiwis now fully vaccinated. The Barrington clinic scaled-up its operation this week, with two vaccinators administering nearly 200 doses a day, Wilkinson said. He estimated the clinic could deliver up to 1500 doses a week when at maximum capacity. Final year student nurse and rest home carer Tabitha Carson said she received notification she could book a vaccination appointment from her employer, St Allisa Lifecare. She was “a bit nervous” but happy to help keep the community safe from Covid-19.
STACY SQUIRES/Stuff
A former shoe store at Christchurch’s Barrington mall is now a privately-run Covid-19 vaccination clinic.