The 90% Project: Hawke's Bay can meet 'ambitious' Government target by Christmas, mayor says

A Super Saturday vaccination event at Splash Planet in Hastings. Photo / Ian Cooper

Napier mayor Kirsten Wise says she believes Hawke's Bay can reach a "very ambitious" 90 per cent vaccination target set down by the Government in time for Christmas.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced a bold target on Friday for every DHB in the country to fully vaccinate 90 per cent of its eligible population - at which point the nation's levels restriction model will be relaxed.

The Government will scrap the existing Covid alert level system and replace it with a new traffic light system.

The traffic light system will feature three levels - green, orange and red - and include widespread freedoms for vaccinated persons and businesses, particularly at green and orange levels.

The traffic light system will also make use of vaccine certificates which will restrict what non-vaccinated people can do.

Heading into the long weekend, Hawke's Bay had a vaccination rate of 66 per cent fully vaccinated and 82 per cent with at least one dose.

"Ninety per cent is a very ambitious target for DHBs and it would be absolutely fantastic if we are able to achieve that," Wise said.

Wise said she believed it was achievable by Christmas in Hawke's Bay and encouraged more people to get the jab.

Napier mayor Kirsten Wise says the target could be reached by Christmas. Photo / Paul Taylor

"I think we can [achieve that goal] We had Super Saturday last weekend when we performed the best in the country per head of capita.

"So we will see that second tranche of people that got their first dose coming through in a few weeks time to get their second dose - which will give that a good nudge upwards."

The target announced by the Prime Minister did not include specific targets for Māori, who have a lower vaccination rate in Hawke's Bay and across the country.

"I don't think we should start setting targets based on ethnicity," Wise said.

"I think it is something all of us collectively have to work toward together."

Hastings mayor Sandra Hazlehurst said more events were being planned to encourage people to get vaccinated and hit 90 per cent, including vaccinations at large workplaces and helping GP practices with drive-through clinics.

"But we also need our community to help us. We need people to have the vaccination conversation with their friends and whanau who are still unsure," she said.

"Today's announcement gives us a clear pathway forward so we can enjoy everything we love about living in Hastings - our festivals, concerts, Splash Planet, family events and restaurants."

Prime Minster Jacinda Ardern made the big announcement on Friday. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Tukituki Labour MP Anna Lorck said now "more than ever" it was important to get vaccinated.

"The clearest incentive we can give each other is if you want to do the things you love then you need to get vaccinated."

She encouraged people to seek reliable information including at covid19.govt.nz if they were unsure about the vaccine.

Prime Minister Ardern said on Friday that other countries had opened up "very quickly" but New Zealand would "do things differently".

She said our new goal was to "minimise and protect".

"We have set a target of 90 per cent fully vaccinated for each DHB in New Zealand.

"When every DHB reaches this target that is when we will move into a new framework called the Covid-19 Protection Framework," she said.

"We will be one of the few countries that will have such high levels of vaccination while still using public health measures to keep everyone as safe as we can."

A Hawke's Bay DHB spokeswoman said the DHB would work with healthcare partners around implications from the announcement.