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The Hutt Valley is getting its own Covid vaccination bus in time for Super Saturday.
Covid vaccination buses were unveiled last month to boost jab rates in the hard-to-reach parts of the Auckland community.
Labour MP for Hutt South Ginny Andersen said this month the Hutt area would be gettingits own by October 16 – the date of the "Super Saturday" vaccination push announced by the Government last week.
"What we're aiming to do is have a big day where we have everyone turn out.
"We're working up to that day, so you can still be vaccinated before then."
"But it's good to have a target date that you can put in your calendar and know this is where we're heading to try and get as many people vaccinated, and the bus is active on that Saturday 16 as part of Super Saturday."
Last week the Ministry of Health released national first and second dose data broken down by suburb, which showed some areas of the Hutt falling behind the rest of the Wellington region.
Taita and parts of Naenae had less than 70 per cent of their eligible populations with one dose of the vaccine, while the rest of the Hutt had 70 per cent or more.
In Porirua, Cannons Creek and parts of Waitangirua also had less than 70 per cent.
Hutt Valley and Capital and Coast DHBs chief executive Fionnagh Dougan told the Herald they continue to work towards getting these areas vaccinated by using targeted events.
"Hutt Valley and Capital & Coast DHBs continue to work with our iwi, Māori providers, pharmacy network and PHOs, to create targeted vaccination events and opportunities to meet the needs of our Māori population," she said.
"This includes getting a number of mobile options up and running as quickly as possible to help deliver the vaccine to known hot spot areas with large numbers of unvaccinated people. Plans in the Hutt Valley are progressing well and more information will be released in the coming days."
Andersen said it had been decided that the Hutt would get a vaccination bus when the Prime Minister was at Wainuiomata Marae earlier this month.
National's Covid-19 response spokesperson and Hutt South list MP Chris Bishop says he's all in favour of the buses.
"We've seen they are effective in other parts of the country and there's a group of people in the Hutt who would really benefit from having the vaccination brought to them."
He told the Herald although the Hutt vaccination numbers are "quite good" there are disparities between suburbs, so while Eastbourne is at 93 per cent, Wainuiomata is sitting in the mid 70s.
"We've got to get those numbers up as high as possible so vaccination buses that can go into those communities, that will respond to those, will make a real difference and I looking forward to seeing them roll out."
The bus – provided by Metlink – would be fitted out with everything needed to administer the vaccine.
"There won't be time to give it a flash paint job, so she will be looking rough and ready," she said.
"But it's a bus, and it's operating once it's decked out with what it needs for medical purposes.
"Wainuiomata marae will be one of the main providers who are identifying areas that need to be increasing their vaccination rates, and getting out to those in person."
The bus had not been officially named but Andersen suspected it would be known as "Jabba the Hutt".
"I think everyone will call it that irrespective of whether it gets that official title, but I'll be pushing strongly to get signage that recognises that that's its name," she said.
