Some vulnerable resthome residents who were supposed to start getting their Covid-19 vaccination jabs from March are still waiting in the queue.
Earlier this week the government revealed roll-out of immunisations for the wider public has been pushed back until the end of July - but it denies that's a delay.
The Covid-19 response Minister Chris Hipkins says there's no confirmed delivery schedule for the Pfizer beyond July and the stock pile is being run down.
According to the government's own vaccine sequencing frame work rest home residents are in group two and due for the jab from March ahead of healthy people 65 plus who are in group 3.
Elizabeth Knox Home and Hospital chief executive Jill Woodward said they've only just been given a start date months after the fact.
"We've got 213 residents and the majority are at a hospital level of care.
"The early communication indicated that vaccination would start somewhere from end of April into May. We're fortunately, and really relieved and pleased, that we've finally got a date which is the end of next week.
"We're expecting the majority of our residents will want to be vaccinated."
Woodward said families of residents have been 'incredible' in coping with the various restrictions needed to keep Covid-19 out of their facility.
"I think our sector's done really well but they have felt concerned that we haven't been able to give certainty of dates for vaccination. I think we can all identify with that."
She said that fit and well over 65s that visit their family members in the facility have already got their vaccinations in other parts of the country.
"Without naming regions, they come from a pretty low-risk area. These families do get concerned because they've gotten along so well with the restrictions that we've put in place over the last 15 months, and done it without complaint to keep mum and dad and the rest of the community safe.
"When we say we don't know when we're going to have vaccinations done, for them it's just that transparency and that's pretty understandable. In their position, I'd feel the same way."
Woodward said the DHB has been good at keeping in touch with the facility but there's a lack of understanding about why the vaccination was delayed.
"I think that's been quite confusing. It's been confusing for us, it's been confusing for residents. They've got friends that live in other parts of New Zealand where their mates in other care homes have had their vaccinations.
"It just creates an environment of uncertainty. The sooner we can get our residents vaccinated, the more comfortable we're all going to feel."
"We're in a high-risk part of New Zealand and we're just going to be relieved to get this done."
