Covid 19 Delta outbreak: Let's get Whanganui to do its bit in The 90% Project

Wheturangi Walsh-Tapiata.

Leading figures around Whanganui have thrown their weight behind The 90% Project - to get most of the country vaccinated before Christmas.

The Whanganui Chronicle is part of the nationwide NZME campaign for the country to reach that 90 per cent target as a means of keeping the population safe from the Delta Covid-19 variant and to allow the economy to open further.

Te Oranganui chief executive Wheturangi Walsh-Tapiata said her organisation was 100 per cent behind the goal.

She said there was a lot of talk about an 80 per cent vaccination target.

"Anything over and above that is going to benefit us and our community, long term."

For her, getting vaccinated was an easy choice.

"I wanted to show my whānau and my organisation that it was important to be vaccinated.

"And I have mokopuna that live in my house so being vaccinated also helps to protect them."

She was concerned at a drop-off in Māori vaccination figures she had learned about.

"We're falling behind in that. We need a much more proactive approach with a range of different messaging," she said.

More specifically outside of The 90% Project, Walsh-Tapiata said her organisation was focusing on how to get younger Māori vaccinated.

"Nationally we've only recently opened up vaccination to those 30 and under and that is a significant portion of our population."

It may become important to bring the jab to those younger people who were often busier, Walsh-Tapiata said.

"We haven't been a strong region in terms of drive-through. I know there are a range of those kinds of conversations happening," she said. "Should we have a drive-through at Pak'nSave for example?"

Steelform Whanganui coach Jason Caskey decided to get the jab because he saw it as being safe and the way forward to what the country needed: opening up.

"You should be vaccinated, it's moving forward for the country to get out of having to be in lockdowns. That's probably what we all need."

Caskey runs his own construction business and had felt the financial hurt of lockdowns.

Everyone in his family was partly or fully vaccinated.

"But in saying that, I'm not the type of person who goes around preaching to everyone else they've got to go and have a jab.

"I do strongly think we need the biggest majority of people we can having [the vaccine]."

Catholic Parish of Whanganui priest Father Vaughan Leslie​ said he had no qualms with rolling up the sleeve of his cassock.

"Yes, I'm fully vaccinated," he said.

The vaccines had proven to be effective and the Catholic Church was encouraging everyone to get vaccinated, Leslie said.

He liked The 90% Project idea.

"Absolutely, I think it's very achievable. People just need to turn up to a centre. I myself didn't make any bookings - turned up at the end of the day," Leslie said of his visit to Te Oranganui's clinic at St Joseph's Hall-St Mary's Parish in Guyton St.

Leslie said he had only come across one person with doubts about the vaccine.

"My experience is people are keen to be vaccinated as soon as possible. However, people still have the choice. Nothing is mandatory."

St Peter's Anglican Church priest Paul Fletcher said he had had one jab and was about to get his second.

"Nothing dramatic to tell you, I had a good experience of it.

"I was impressed by how many people were down at the spot in Whanganui who were getting the vaccine."

He had seen negative commentary on social media about the vaccine.

"I'm for vaccination unless there's a really strong reason someone shouldn't get it. It's caring for your neighbours."

The Anglican Church was encouraging its members to get behind a "get one, give one" campaign where they donate money for vaccines to go towards people in poorer countries.

"I think they've raised a lot of money for it."