Covid 19 Delta outbreak: The Bay of Plenty suburbs nearing 100 per cent fully vaxxed

The Bay of Plenty District Health Board has reached the 90 per cent fully-vaccinated target for its eligible population - but which of its suburbs are still below 90 per cent and which suburbs are closing in on 100 per cent fully vaccinated? Ministry of Health data reveals the top and bottom 10 suburbs in the region.

Nearly half of the suburbs in the Bay of Plenty DHB region are more than 90 per cent fully vaccinated and are predominantly in Tauranga and Mount Maunganui areas.

Forty-one out of the DHB's 98 suburbs have populations where more than 90 per cent have had two doses, while only nine suburbs were less than 80 per cent vaccinated.

These figures come as the country braces for Omicron, predicted to become the dominant strain within weeks of an outbreak, and after the ministry revealed yesterday that 266 cases of the variant had been detected in MIQ since December 1.

Tauranga Central, Bethlehem Central, Te Maunga South, Tauriko, Pacific View and Ōtūmoetai North and South were among the top 10 fully-vaccinated suburbs.

The vaccination rate for six suburbs with high uptake was masked to avoid personally identifiable information being revealed: Otawa, Rangiuru, Matua North, Mount Maunganui South, Pyes Pa West and Pyes Pa South.

Vaccination rates were lowest in Murupara and Oponae where less than 70 per cent were fully vaccinated.

Other suburbs in the bottom 10 included Matakana Island, Ōpōtiki, Wainui and Galatea, which had less than 80 per cent fully vaccinated.

Overall, 94 per cent of the eligible Bay of Plenty population had received one dose and 91 per cent were fully vaccinated as of Wednesday, Ministry of Health data showed.

Ōtūmoetai College principal Russell Gordon told the Bay of Plenty Times Weekend he had "a lot of confidence" moving in to the new year upon hearing that Ōtūmoetai North and South were 93 per cent fully-vaccinated.

He said the statistics made him feel "relief" and "pride" because the Ōtūmoetai community would be prepared if there was an outbreak.

"We have to be ready at the drop of a hat to be able to react to any particular outbreak of Covid in our localised area."

Mount Maunganui Residents, Ratepayers and Retail Association president Michael O'Neill felt the same way about Te Maunga South and Arataki North being in the top 10 and said it was "great to see" residents were taking Covid-19 seriously.

In his view, the statistics were probably indicative of the elderly population in those suburbs.

"They realise the significance and importance of getting vaccinated and have got on to it."

Ōpōtiki District Council deputy mayor Shona Browne. Photo / Supplied

Ōpōtiki District Council deputy mayor Shona Browne said she thought confirmed cases in the Eastern Bay of Plenty had encouraged people to get vaccinated in Ōpōtiki.

She said a local campaign called Ōpōtiki Our Way was working "really well" because it had opened up opportunities for vaccinations at the surf club, in town and the Te Ahiaua Reserve (Pipi Beds).

"My understanding is that the locations are being very well utilised not only by the locals but by visitors as well."

Browne got her booster at the Whakatōhea Health Centre in Ōpōtiki on Thursday and said it was "absolutely full of people".

"Ōpōtiki community is trying really, really hard."

Murupara Community Board chairwoman Jackie Te Amo was asked if she thought Murupara's confirmed cases in December had encouraged people to get vaccinated.

She responded saying the Bay of Plenty DHB had since reached the 90 per cent fully vaccinated target which would have included people in Murupara.

Murupara was the lowest fully vaccinated suburb in the region with 62 per cent.

People in the community were doing "their very best" to ensure others were vaccinated.

But the challenges facing Murupara included that the vaccine was not mandatory and people still had their reservations.

"Currently with all the information that's out there on social media, still people have reservations about it and don't want it in their bodies - it is a choice.

"There is a group of people not only in Murupara but in the whole of New Zealand that is against it."

Bay of Plenty DHB Covid-19 vaccination programme acting senior response officer Heather Lang said a "by community, for community" approach had led to "significant increases" in vaccination rates in November and December in areas with lower uptake, particularly in the Eastern Bay.

In smaller, "typically rural" communities where vaccination rates still had some way to go to reach 90 per cent, work continued to support local government, non-governmental organisations, community leaders, the social and business sector, and other stakeholders to encourage them to get vaccinated, she said.

Lang said convenience and accessibility were "key" to getting people vaccinated.

"Residents will continue to see our teams and partner providers out in the community delivering pop-up clinics at workplaces, supermarkets, community centres and sports grounds.

"Anywhere our community is, we and our providers want to be."

Lang encouraged people to check the DHB's social media channels to find out the details of upcoming pop-up clinics.

"Whatever it takes, we're aware communities continue to pull together to ensure everyone has access to reliable information and creating as many vaccination opportunities as possible to ensure everyone in the Bay can get vaccinated."

Toi To Ora Public Health medical officer of health Dr Phil Shoemack said it was "imperative" to get vaccination rates as high as possible.

"We need to maintain efforts to get as close as possible to a 100 per cent vaccination rate. Every additional person who is vaccinated offers an extra level of protection both for themselves as well as everyone around them."

Dr Shoemack said the vaccine would be available for children aged 5 to 11 from Monday. (

Booster shots were also available for people aged 18 and over and could be received four months after a second dose.

"Booster shots provide better protection against the Omicron variant than the two-dose course."