Covid 19 Delta outbreak: 21 Lakes District Health Board suburbs are 90% vaccinated

In the Lakes District Health Board's area, 21 suburbs have reached the 90 per cent vaccination target. Photo / NZME

The Lakes region is inching its way to the 90 per cent double-vaccinated target with just under 1000 jabs to go.

And as the target approaches, Ministry of Health figures reveal that 21 suburbs have already hit their double-jab milestones.

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 a total of 266 cases of the variant had been detected in MIQ since December 1. According to the ministry, as of January 13, the Lakes District Health Board area was 89 per cent double-vaccinated with 967 doses needed to reach 90 per cent.

Vaccination rates for five suburbs with 95 per cent or higher uptake was masked to avoid personally identifiable information being revealed: Fenton Park, Victoria and Springfield North in Rotorua and Wharewaka and Rangataiki in Taupō.

Suburbs approaching the 95 per cent mark included Pomare, Lynmore, Springfield South, Hamurana and Rotorua Central.

Only three suburbs in the Lakes DHB were below 80 per cent fully vaccinated: Fordlands, Western Heights and Mangakakahi Central.

*This graphic excludes suburbs with masked data

Rotorua Lakes Councillor and Hamurana resident Fisher Wang said he wanted to say a "big thank you" to everyone who has done their part.

"For some, it will have been a hard decision and I just want to thank them," Wang told the Rotorua Daily Post Weekend.

"They've given us hope, hope that things will change. With this protection hopefully, life will return to normal soon and we will be able to see family and friends stuck overseas."

Wang wanted to express appreciation for the sacrifices family, friends and local businesses have been making to keep the community safe.

"Our local industries have really suffered over the last two years," Wang said.

"The best thing we can do to support local now is to get vaccinated and to get boosted.

"It will bring a lot of hope for the rebound of all our industries."

Rotorua Lakes councillor and Hamurana resident Fisher Wang. Photo / NZME

Lakes District Health Board chief operating officer Alan Wilson said 90 per cent target was expected to be hit within the next month.

"While it will be great to get to 90 per cent double-dosed, we will continue to be getting more people vaccinated, including boosters, after we have hit that target."

Wilson said the DHB's booster drive was going well.

"We expect to get 90 per cent of people eligible for boosters to have their booster doses delivered by mid-February."

Wilson said the DHB still had concerns about pockets within some communities where the immunisation rates are much lower.

"There is more likelihood of spread for those communities, particularly if people are in crowded homes or large households."

Rotorua Lakes District Health Board chief operating officer Alan Wilson. Photo / NZME

Toi Te Ora Public Health medical officer Dr Phil Shoemack said vaccination rates needed to be as high as possible.

"Vaccination is the best defence against Covid-19 including the Omicron variant.

"While it is good news that we have almost reached a 90 per cent vaccination rate, we need to maintain efforts to get as close as possible to 100 per cent."

Shoemack said every additional person who was vaccinated offered an extra level of protection, both for themselves and everyone around them.

Toi Te Ora Public Health medical officer Dr Phil Shoemack. Photo / NZME

Central Pharmacy owner David Honore said over the Christmas period people were coming in for their first vaccination because they had more time.

"It's just finding time to do it I think that's the biggest challenge for people."

Honore said demand for booster vaccines had come on "in a big way".

"Unfortunately, it hasn't been organised very well."

Honore said after the announcement that boosters would be available four months after the second jab instead of six, there were difficulties with the booking system.

"If we had a booking system that worked [for people who had their second vaccination dose four months ago] it would have been easier.

"The ministry made it very confusing for everybody and put pressure on the vaccination sites."

Honore said in his view, the queues could have deterred people from getting the booster or even their first or second doses.

Central Pharmacy owner David Honore (front) with members of the pharmacy team. Photo / NZME

Ranolf Medical Centre doctor Jo O'Keefe said most of the people she saw on a day-to-day basis were vaccinated.

"Most people I talk to about boosters seem to want them. I think the getting their head around the first jab was the big thing."

O'Keefe said she thought the focus should now be on the largest group of unvaccinated people in the community - children under 12 years old.

"Omicron's probably not that far away," she said.

"I just think it's really important that as many children as vaccinated as possible before school starts."

One Western Heights Health Centre spokeswoman, who did not want to be named, said it was good to be "nearly there".

"I think people are still changing their minds [about the vaccine]."

She said there had been a lot of demand for the booster vaccine.

"I'm kind of focused on the next bit which is giving the booster a boost.

"It looks like that's what we need to do to protect everybody."

The spokeswoman said despite work being "harder than it used to be" for centre staff, all were determined to get the best outcomes for patients.

"But there's quite a significant staff shortage and it's quite hard to recruit."

The Ministry of Health has been approached for comment.