Around 6pc of Whanganui DHB staff unvaccinated, set to be stood down next week

All DHB staff must be vaccinated by Tuesday, or face being stood down. Photo / Bevan Conley

Just under 6 per cent of Whanganui District Health Board staff are at risk of losing their jobs next week after failing to receive a Covid-19 vaccination.

According to the latest figures revealed by the DHB this week, 94.3 per cent of Whanganui DHB's entire workforce have had at least one dose of the jab.

The remaining 5.7 per cent, which equates to about 58 staff, have not yet presented for a vaccination.

As per the Government's vaccination mandate, by Tuesday all DHB staff must have had at least one dose of the Pfizer vaccine, barring those with a medical exemption, or they will be stood down.

Speaking to the Chronicle, Whanganui DHB acting chief executive Graham Dyer said over recent months the number of those unvaccinated has trended downwards.

"But my understanding is that some of that includes those on maternity leave and some who might not be here at the moment [and haven't had their vaccination status recorded]."

Dyer said he was comfortable with the DHB's position when it came to staff vaccination, and said he was confident there were plans to mitigate any staff losses as a result of vaccination refusals.

"By comparison, I think we're doing reasonably good compared to where some are."

Nationwide, roughly 95 per cent of the 80,000-strong health workforce have received at least one dose, with roughly 4000 so far unvaccinated.

The lowest first-dose vaccination levels were in the Bay of Plenty and the West Coast at 93 per cent, while the highest were in South Canterbury and the three Auckland DHBs at about 98 per cent.