Tukituki MP Anna Lorck and PM Jacinda Ardern at Te Taiwhenua o Heretaunga Covid vaccine drive-in clinic. Photo / Warren Buckland
Tukituki MP Anna Lorck and PM Jacinda Ardern at Te Taiwhenua o Heretaunga Covid vaccine drive-in clinic. Photo / Warren Buckland
A third of Hawke's Bay's eligible population who have received their first dose of the Covid vaccine are overdue for their second dose.
And it's this cohort which will help drive the region's vaccination status as the country gets prepared to move into the traffic light system, says Tukituki MPAnna Lorck.
Today Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the country had tried to drive the vaccination rates up to that 90 per cent fully vaccinated mark and indicated a move to the new traffic light system soon after the November 29 cabinet meeting.
Areas with lower vaccination areas will be moved into the red level to protect people and promote vaccinations, she said.
"You can make an assumption that if your area is under 90 per cent, you are at risk of red."
Based on that comment, there's a possibility of Hawke's Bay moving into the red zone of the traffic light system on November 29, but no confirmation has been made from Ministry of Health about this.
Hawke's Bay Today made some calculations based on the rate of vaccination in the region to date.
For Hawke's Bay to get to 90 per cent fully-vaxxed by November 29 the region would need a total of 131,014 people vaccinated.
On November 17, the region's double-vaxxed number was 113,223 which means the region needs 17,791 more people receiving both their jabs by November 29.
To achieve the target we need to have 1,483 people getting vaccinated per day for the next 12 days, and the current rate of daily vaccinations is between 350 to 400 people.
This rate needs to triple or quadruple.
Lorck said it was critical that the third of the eligible population due their second dose got it.
"We are so close to achieving 90 per cent first dose, and we have two weeks to really push the people who have already had their first dose to get their second.
"It's critical for those people to get it. Then I believe there will be a big surge in the fully-vaxxed numbers.
Pukemokimoki Marae offered a 'Vaxi Taxi' service for people wanting to get their Covid-19 vaccination on Super Shot Saturday. Photo / Ian Cooper
Hawke's Bay DHB's Vaccination Programme's medical advisor Peter Culham said it took two weeks for the vaccination to become fully effective, so it was important people got out and got their second dose to boost their protection now.
"This is more important, given our region is on heightened alert of Covid-19," Culham said.
"Getting your Covid-19 vaccine is like grabbing your parachute before you jump out of an aeroplane. If you've had two doses you've got a stronger parachute with a back-up attached."
He said one dose was approximately 60 per cent effective at preventing Covid, while the second dose boosted this to 88 per cent effective.
As of today, 88 per cent of Hawke's Bay's eligible population has had their first jab and 78 per cent have had their second.
"Our region is tracking well but we're expecting the fully vaccinated percentage to really jump ahead over the coming days, given this large group are due their final dose," he said.
"Significant work is also being done in harder-to-reach populations, with mobile vans being launched recently and a van in Wairoa today to kick off its next vaccination drive."
Anyone aged 12 and over can have the free vaccine.
There are more than 30 clinics across Hawke's Bay this week. Go to www.hbcovidvaccine.nz for a vaccine clinic near you
