Major venues pivot to become mass vaccination centres

Major venue across Australia and New Zealand have swapped sport and entertainment for vaccines, becoming locations for mass vaccinations against COVID-19.

On Saturday, the day when it had at one time been scheduled to host the third Bledisloe Cup test, Wellington’s Sky Stadium opened as drive-through Coronavirus vaccination clinic.

Open to the public after launching on Friday to essential workers, is being run by the Capital & Coast District Health Board, offering vaccinations by appointment only.

Commenting on the change, Sky Stadium Chief Executive, Shane Harmon said a month ago they were planning for a Bledisloe Cup match, telling the Stuff news website “the loss of the match hurt, but it gave us an opportunity to assist in a small way towards keeping our community safe and getting our lives back to normal.”

In Palmerston North, the Central Energy Trust Arena and the Fly Palmy Arena are also being used as drive-through vaccination clinic.

On LinkedIn, John Lynch, Manager Venues Palmerston North for Palmerston North City Council, advised “great that community assets can be utilised during lockdown … (the change)  shows the versatility of our new Speedway pits area.”

In the ACT, Canberrans will be able to access a COVID-19 vaccination centre at the AIS Arena as of Friday 3rd September, with the AIS Arena COVID-19 Mass Vaccination Clinic to replace the mass vaccination clinic currently located at the Garran Surge Centre.

ACT Chief Minister, Andrew Barr stated “this move to the AIS means more Canberrans will be able to access a Pfizer COVID-19 vaccination faster.”

With the AIS Arena owned by the Federal Government as part of Canberra’s Australian Institute of Sport campus, Federal Minister for Sport, Richard Colbeck noted “the vaccination clinic at the AIS Arena will play an important role ensuring those who are eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine can get vaccinated as quickly as possible, and is aligned with the Australian Government’s COVID-19 Vaccine Strategy.”

In South Australia, Adelaide Venue Management (AVM) Corporation Chief Executive, Anthony Kirchner reinforce the importance of the vaccination uptake among staff, advising that they need to get vaccinated “as soon as you get the opportunity”, warning “venues are going to have to demonstrate that their staff are fully vaccinated” to lure major clients.

As reported by InDaily, Kirchner told staff “we’re all going to need to be vaccinated if AVM is to achieve its full potential”, advising that in the context of “winning new business”, it was “becoming increasingly evident that venues are going to have to demonstrate that their staff are fully vaccinated against COVID in the not-too distant future”.

Image: The drive-through Coronavirus vaccination clinic at Palmerston North’s Central Energy Trust Arena. Credit: John Lynch, Manager Venues Palmerston North.