The 90% Project: South Taranaki and Rangitīkei hit 90% fully vaccinated as Whanganui DHB closes in on milestone

The Rangitīkei and Ruapehu districts have reached 90 per cent fully vaccinated. Photo / Bevan Conley

The Rangitīkei and South Taranaki districts have both reached at least 90 per cent of its population fully vaccinated, with Whanganui District quickly closing in on the same milestone.

This comes on the day New Zealand reached a vaccination milestone many thought impossible - with 90 per cent of eligible Kiwis fully vaccinated against Covid-19.

Confirmation of 90 per cent was foreshadowed by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Wednesday before being confirmed by the Ministry of Health on Thursday.

In September, one month after Delta arrived on our shores, NZME - publisher of the Whanganui Chronicle - announced The 90% Project - a campaign with an aim to see New Zealand reach 90 per cent before Christmas.

This target was later endorsed by the Government, with Ardern and director general of health Dr Ashley Bloomfield stating 90 per cent vaccination coverage would afford strong national protection against the virus.

But the journey hasn't ended. Māori vaccination levels are well below the national average, several areas won't hit 90 per cent until January and vaccinations of 5 to 11-year-olds are imminent.

Meanwhile, according to new figures released by the Ministry of Health on Wednesday, the Whanganui district is now sitting at a total of 91 per cent with at least one dose - equivalent to 36,248 people.

That figure is slightly lower for those fully vaccinated, sitting at 84 per cent. Just 2545 people are required to get their second dose before the district hits the 90 per cent fully vaccinated figure.

Rangitīkei has shot well ahead of Whanganui, with 91 per cent of its population now fully vaccinated. Ninety-four per cent have had one dose.

South Taranaki, which is now grappling with its own localised outbreak of Covid-19, also has gone over the 90 per cent fully vaccinated milestone.

A total of 18,264 of its residents are now fully vaccinated - equal to exactly 90 per cent of the district's eligible population. More than 95 per cent have had one dose.

Ruapeh is still sitting much lower at just 78 per cent fully vaccinated.

The district has a slightly higher total when it comes to partial vaccination, with 86 per cent of its population having had at least one jab.

Meanwhile, the wider Whanganui DHB region, which includes all of Whanganui and most of the Ruapehu and Rangitīkei districts, is just 57 doses away from hitting the 90 per cent partially vaccinated milestone.

The DHB still has to deliver another 1090 doses for the DHB region to reach 90 per cent fully vaccinated.