Hawke's Bay DHB chief executive Keriana Brooking says everyone has a role to play in encouraging people to get the Covid vaccine. Photo / Warren Buckland
Hawke's Bay DHB chief executive Keriana Brooking says everyone has a role to play in encouraging people to get the Covid vaccine. Photo / Warren Buckland
The Hawke's Bay DHB has launched a new campaign encouraging eligible people who have yet to receive the Covid vaccine to get vaccinated.
As of Wednesday, 50 per cent of the eligible population in the region had received both vaccine doses, and 76 per cent of the population had received at least one dose.
Now, in a bid to get more people vaccinated, the DHB has launched a campaign called Ū Tonu, which means "keep going".
The campaign features people from throughout Hawke's Bay rolling up their sleeves in an effort to protect themselves, whānau, community, businesses and our health services.
Hawke's Bay DHB's chief executive Keriana Brooking said the Ū Tonu campaign was designed for Hawke's Bay.
"This is our region and we want everyone to play a role in protecting what we love about Hawke's Bay," Brooking said.
"The campaign features people working in all sorts of industries and places, with the same message: Roll Up your Sleeves, Get a Mate to Vaccinate, Ū Tonu."
While the campaign was developed by the DHB, the material would be available for all businesses and individuals to use to spread the message.
"We purposely haven't branded this – we want everyone to help us share the message – this is our region, these are our people, and everyone has a role to play to help protect Hawke's Bay."
Brooking said the Delta variant and its easy spread was very concerning for health professionals in Hawke's Bay.
"One of the things I love about working in health is the fact that everyone comes to work to care for people every day.
"If our hospital and other community health providers have to lock down because of Covid we can't provide the level of care we would want.
"We can't do the number of elective surgeries, we can't see as many of you face-to-face for your clinic appointments and we have to restrict visitors from seeing their loved ones in hospital.
"No-one wants that to happen and to prevent it, we need everyone eligible to roll up their sleeves."
The DHB's campaign was launched on the same day as it was announced the Government was planning a nationwide day of action to encourage vaccination on October 16.
Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said with more than half the national eligible population now fully vaccinated and more than 80 per cent with at least one dose, everyone had to do their bit to reach the remaining 20 per cent.
"We've got a plan and to make it work we're asking everyone to contribute to a big, nationwide push for vaccination," he said.
"This will culminate in a National Day of Action for vaccination.
