Covid-19 Delta outbreak: Government announces Northland's future freedoms lie with 90 per cent vaccination rate

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced every district health board in the country was expected to have 90 per cent of the eligible population fully vaccinated. Photo / NZME

The everyday freedoms of Northlanders hinge on 90 per cent of the region's eligible population becoming fully vaccinated.

The target for the country's district health boards was revealed by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Friday as she announced the Government's framework for the country to move forward.

Just over half of Northland's eligible population is fully vaccinated, according to data released by the Northland District Health Board (NDHB).

Of the 164,654 Northlanders, 28.5 per cent remain unvaccinated. Overall, 55.8 per cent have received both jabs, and 15.7 per cent have had one dose.

A deeper dive showed Whangārei leading the way with 60.8 per cent (46,429) of the total 76,410 people eligible fully vaccinated. While 14.2 per cent (10,830) wait for their second jab and 25.1 per cent (19,151) are yet to have a single dose.

Vaccination rates in the Far and Mid North and Kaipara districts are closely matched with a one per cent difference in the number of fully vaccinated people.

Of the 19,355 people eligible in Kaipara 52.3 per cent (10,113) have received both jabs. Another 18.1 per cent (3495) are waiting for a second dose, and 29.7 per cent (5747) are unvaccinated.

In the Far and Mid North, 51.3 per cent (27,900) of the 54,387 people eligible have had both jabs. Whereas 32.2 per cent (17,522) are yet to have the first dose, and 16.5 per cent (8965) are awaiting a second.

There has been a 15.3 per cent jump in the number of fully vaccinated Northlanders since the start of October.

Overall, Northlanders aged 65 and over across all ethnicities have led the charge with the age group recording the highest rate of people fully vaccinated.

Young Māori, between 12 to 15, have the lowest percentage of people fully vaccinated with 5.3 per cent of the 5365 people eligible having received both jabs – compared to 8.2 per cent of non-Māori.

Māori aged 16 to 34 recorded the highest rate of unvaccinated people with 70.7 per cent (10,331) of the total 18,467 eligible yet to receive a single dose.

However, young Kiwis were the last group to become eligible for vaccination. Northlanders aged 12 to 15 became on August 20 with 16-and-overs following shortly after.

Ardern said New Zealand had carved its own path for much of the past 18 months, and it had been world-leading.

But Delta has made it hard to maintain elimination, its tentacles reaching into communities in a way that made them hard to shake.

But the vaccine means that there is a pathway forward, she said.

She said a 90 per cent target for the eligible population for each DHB would mean "more equitable outcomes".

When each DHB hit this target, the new framework would come into effect - which will be a traffic light system that makes use of vaccine certificates.

Businesses will be able to continue to operate at each of the risk levels, and each setting can be used in a highly targeted and localised way.

Red is for when the virus is spreading in a way that threatens the most vulnerable and could overwhelm the health system.

Education will be open but with public health measures, masks will be needed and there will be caps and physical distancing requirements.

Orange means no limits for vaccine certificates for hospitality, gatherings and events. Limits will apply if no vaccine certificates are used.

Green will have limits if no vaccine certificates are used for hospitality, gatherings and events.

For more on the safety of the Covid-19 vaccine and other things you need to know, listen to our podcast Science Digest with Michelle Dickinson

High vaccination rates are the key to future freedoms for Northlanders in place of lockdowns, the Government announced on Friday. Photo / Tania Whyte

Kaipara Mayor Jason Smith, whose district lies at the border with Auckland, said we no longer had the luxury of time when it came to waiting to get vaccinated.

"Lockdowns will no longer be the key measure – vaccination rates are...with Auckland's significant numbers of Covid cases cropping up in every suburb, the pressure is really on Northland because of our close proximity."

"People who are still considering vaccination, their time is running out to think about it," Smith said.

Where to get vaccinated?

Friday:
Northland Events Centre - 51 Okara Drive, Whangārei - 9am to 3pm
Ngāti Hine Health Trust, Whangārei - 5 Walton St - 9am to 4pm
Ki A Ora Ngātiwai - 420 Kamo Road, Whangārei - 10am to 3pm
Kerikeri Mobile Unit - 37 Klinac Lane, Waipapa - 10am to 2pm
Ngāti Hine Health Trust, Moerewa - Simson Park - 9am to 4pm
The Old Warehouse Building, Kaitaia - 11 Matthews Ave - 9am to 2pm
Hauora Hokianga/Hokianga Health - Hokianga Hospital, Honey Street entrance - 9am to 2pm
Te Hau Ora O Ngāpuhi, Ohaeawai - Ohaeawai Rugby Clubrooms, drive through - 9am to 5pm

Saturday:
Northland Events Centre - 51 Okara Drive, Whangārei - 9am to 4pm
Dargaville - 22a Normanby St, next to the Dargaville Yugoslav Hall; opposite Caltex and the Farm Machinery Centre - 10am to 2pm
Kerikeri Mobile Unit - 37 Klinac Lane, Waipapa - 10am to 2pm
The Old Warehouse Building, Kaitaia - 11 Matthews Ave - 9am to 4pm
Te Hau Ora O Ngāpuhi, Ohaeawai - Ohaeawai Rugby Clubrooms, drive through - 9am to 5pm

Sunday:
Northland Events Centre - 51 Okara Drive, Whangārei - 9am to 12pm
Kaitaia Pak n Save - 11 North Rd - 9am to 12pm