Range of tactics needed to meet ambitious jabs target

A goal to vaccinate 90 per cent of all eligible New Zealanders against Covid-19 by the end of the year has been labelled a stretch by one expert, but ‘‘definitely achievable’’ by another.

Improving accessibility, supporting the vaccine-hesitant and a focus on youth populations would help get New Zealand closer to the goal, experts agreed.

In March, Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said there was no set target for Covid-19 vaccination, but he hoped to see 90 per cent coverage by the end of the year.

Epidemiologist Professor Michael Baker believed the target was definitely achievable but the biggest hurdle was still accessibility.

Booking vaccines online and then being required to drive to a location to get one added barriers to the process, Baker said. Initiatives such as a Mr Whippy-style bus were great, but more were needed.

Over time, hesitancy towards the vaccine should reduce as it became more normalised, he said.

‘‘I guess if there is any silver lining to the current Delta outbreak it’s that it’s making it very real for everyone now. It is reminding people how important

vaccination is,’’ he said.

Baker wants vaccination efforts in Auckland to go ‘‘all out’’.

Director of the Immunisation Advisory Centre Dr Nikki Turner believed a 90 per cent target was a stretch.

‘‘I think the countries that are doing well are getting over 80 per cent. Some countries get higher than that, but it’s quite a challenge.’’

Turner said vaccinating younger populations would need to be a focus, because young people tended to be more distracted with other things, and were healthier so less likely to engage with health services.

Healthcare systems and communities needed to come together to engage with Ma¯ ori, Pasifika, refugee, migrant, disabled, rural, and isolated communities in order to reduce any barriers, Turner said. Needle phobia was also an issue for many people.

Vaccinologist and Auckland University Associate Professor Helen Petousis-Harris said it was possible to get close to the 90 per cent target but a significant minority of the population still had questions they felt had not been addressed.

‘‘We probably need a whole lot of things, but mainly we probably need people to feel that

their concerns are being heard, and they have the opportunity to talk about them and address them in more of a community or one-on-one setting . . . rather than pumping out more information.

‘‘If that was going to be effective it would’ve already been effective,’’ she said.

Different community-specific strategies, such as drop-in centres where people could have a cup of tea and a discussion would be a good idea.

‘‘Having people that are comfortable and happy to talk about it, and have the hard conversations with people and answer challenging questions.’’