9 Mar 2022

Queenstown vaccination clinic to target those who received incorrectly stored doses

2:21 pm on 9 March 2022

A pop-up, drive-through vaccination clinic will open this week in Queenstown after close to 1600 people received Covid-19 vaccines that were stored incorrectly.

The vaccine roll-out for 5 to 11-year-olds started on Monday after Medsafe approved the Pfizer paediatric vaccination last month.

People who received vaccination doses from batches that were stored incorrectly are being asked to get another dose (file picture). Photo: Getty Picture Alliance

The 1571 people who received a shot in December and January at clinics across Queenstown Lakes and Central Otago have been asked to get another dose.

The Southern District Health Board confirmed there were no health concerns but the vaccine's effectiveness might have been compromised and they might not be fully protected.

Queenstown Airport said it had been working with the Southern DHB to provide quick and easy access to replacement vaccines for anyone impacted who went to its pop-up booster clinic in December.

The drive-through clinic would be open tomorrow and Friday between 11am and 7pm at the Brookes Road car park - formerly the airport's Park and Ride - behind Mitre 10 in Frankton.

There would be a priority lane for people who received an affected dose at the airport's December booster clinic, but all eligible age groups were welcome for first, second and booster doses.

Those affected were asked to let staff know on arrival that they needed a replacement vaccine.

The clinic would be held with support from health providers Mountain Lakes Medical Centre and Te Kāika.

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