Canterbury close to 90pc

While Canterbury is on the precipice of 90 per cent of its eligible population receiving a first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, the West Coast continues to lag behind other South Island regions.

Ministry of Health data shows Canterbury now needs just over 5000 jabs to reach the first-dose target with 89 per cent of the eligible population having been jabbed once, ahead of the national average of 87 per cent.

However, any hope of freedom has been dampened by the West Coast population who still lag behind with 79 per cent having received their first vaccination. Almost 3000 West Coast residents will need to get vaccinated to get to 90 per cent.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern previously said the Government was open to moving the South Island into the new traffic-light system ahead of the rest of the country if all of its district health boards hit the target.

In Christchurch, Aranui had increased the number of residents receiving their first dose from 65.2 per cent to 68.7 per cent.

Ashley Gorge remained the second-lowest vaccinated area at 73.6 per cent, recording a 2.4 per cent increase on the previous week, while Pegasus Bay stayed the third-lowest vaccinated area at 73.8 per cent inoculated once – just a 1.5 per cent jump.

Amid concerns about low Ma¯ ori vaccination rates, Canterbury recorded a second week of steady increases among its population with a 3.1 per cent increase in first vaccinations at 73.09 per cent, after an almost 5 per cent increase two weeks ago. However, nationally Ma¯ori continue to be well behind the national average at just 70 per cent vaccinated once.

Overall, Canterbury now leads the South Island in vaccination rates with Southern DHB only just behind at 88 per cent, followed by Nelson/Marlborough on 86 per cent, and South Canterbury on 85 per cent.

Linwood ward councillor Yani Johanson expressed concerns about several trends, including what he termed to be a ‘‘significant variation’’ in decile 9 and 10 areas compared to decile 1 and 2, coupled with the lower rates of vaccination among the Ma¯ori community. ‘‘This means when Covid arrives in Christchurch, those who are most vulnerable are likely to be hit the hardest and this is incredibly alarming.’’

Johanson said while a more community-based approach had made a positive impact, there was a continued need for resources and urgency to improve jab rates.

Canterbury DHB Covid-19

senior response officer, Dr Helen Skinner, said attendance at pop-up vaccination clinics in east Christchurch had been low in recent weeks.

One clinic held at Hampshire St by Aranui Community Trust on October 20 delivered just 18 vaccine doses, while a clinic at Haeata Community Campus on the same day vaccinated eight people, she told The Press. ‘‘We’re urging anyone yet to receive their vaccinations to get vaccinated to not only protect their wha¯ nau, but so we can all enjoy everything a classic Kiwi summer has to offer.’’

Pegasus Health Ma¯ ori manager Melody Tuliau said staff were intending to phone about 13,000 Ma¯ ori patients across the city who were yet to be vaccinated after they had previously focused on targeted patients in east Christchurch.

Pop-up vaccination clinics would be offered at several high schools and intermediate kura in coming weeks, with the first at Shirley Boys’ and Avonside Girls’ High Schools today.

But Tuliau was not confident a 90 per cent fully vaccinated target would be met among the city’s Ma¯ ori community by Christmas. ‘‘We’ve got to a sticky point where we’ve got to everybody who actively wants the vaccination. Now we’re looking to provide information to those who aren’t sure.’’

Tuliau said misinformation was a big barrier for many people, particularly in youth who used social media platforms as information sources. She said in hindsight the roll-out could have done better in the way information had been disseminated among different groups. ‘‘It’s not as easy as just opening up a clinic and telling everyone to come.’’

Wha¯ nau Ora Community Clinic founder George Ngatai said any effort to get Ma¯ ori to engage with being vaccinated was important.

He was pleased that numbers among the Ma¯ ori community were increasing. ‘‘We have just got to go and do things that are not seen as normal, like door-knocking. We will be going all out in the next few weeks.’’

‘‘. . . when Covid arrives in Christchurch, those who are most vulnerable are likely to be hit the hardest and this is incredibly alarming.’’

Cr Yani Johanson