Vaccination rate challenge for region
New Plymouth’s MP has challenged Taranaki to up its vaccination rate so it’s not the region holding up the country’s move to the new traffic light system.
Yesterday, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced the country would move to the new system, replacing the Covid-19 alert level system, once 90 per cent of each district health board’s eligible population was double-dosed. At this stage, this includes all DHBs except Auckland, which will move to into the new system when all three of its health boards hit 90 per cent.
As of Wednesday, just 58.65 per cent of the Taranaki eligible population were fully vaccinated – putting the region at the bottom of the pile, again.
Around 9300 more people need to get their first jab for the region to hit a first-dose rate of 90 per cent, and then those with just one jab would need to go and get their second.
‘‘For me, it’s a bomb right under us saying ‘right, let’s get to work’,’’ Labour MP Glen Bennett said.
Bennett said yesterday’s announcement had set a ‘‘challenge’’ for Taranaki to up its vaccination rates. If it came down to it, he’d be
encouraging Super Saturdays regularly, so Taranaki can get a summer, and Christmas. ‘‘We will pull out every stop we can.’’
The new system will allow fully vaccinated people to enjoy most freedoms at every level, through the use of vaccine certificates.
Businesses who choose to use vaccine certificates will have far
more freedom to operate than those who don’t. And those who don’t will likely not be assured of payments under the wage subsidy scheme at the lower traffic light settings.
The ability to do small localised lockdowns will remain.
Stratford Mayor Neil Volzke agreed the community needed to up its game.
‘‘Taranaki has a hell of a long way to go,’’ Volzke said. ‘‘I would encourage everybody who has yet to be vaccinated to do so, as soon as possible.’’
He said that while the Taranaki District Heath Board (TDHB) was ‘‘slow off the mark’’ at first, the responsibility was now shifting to the wider public. ‘‘There is no excuse.’’
New Plymouth Mayor Neil Holdom said now was the time to make a collective effort and start supporting iwi, the TDHB and the wider public. ‘‘We’re still behind the 8-ball,’’ Holdom said.
He said this was the time for the region to try to get vaccination rates above other areas, and get stuck in
‘For me, it’s a bomb right under us saying ‘right, let’s get to work’,’’ Glen Bennett MP for New Plymouth
‘‘like good Taranaki people do’’ in inter-regional competitions.
He thought it would take a while for businesses to prepare for the vaccination certificates, but imagined the new system would be a ‘‘welcome relief’’.
And that it was for New Plymouth’s Nice Hotel and Table Restaurant owner Terry Parkes.
Parkes said the past few months had been ‘‘very worrying’’ for business, as customers were concerned about potential future lockdowns.
‘‘It’s gone so far that they’re not even booking.’’
Which is why he thought the traffic light system was a ‘‘great idea’’.
‘‘There was no other decision to be made.’’