Kai Iwi Lakes Campgrounds fully booked over Christmas period

Predominantly Northland campers have booked the Pine Beach and Promenade Point camping grounds at Kai Iwi Lakes for the summer holidays. Photo / File, Supplied

While Kai Iwi Lakes campground is fully booked out for the Christmas period, district leaders are concerned about low vaccination numbers possibly spreading Covid-19.

Currently, the period between December 25 and January 11 is sold out, with both powered and un-powered sites available on either side of those dates at Kai Iwi Lakes campground, which has a capacity of 480 campers at Pine Beach and 120 campers at Promenade Point per night.

A spokesperson said predominantly Northlanders had made the bookings at this stage. Campers were asked to refer to the Covid-19 website to determine whether there were current or possible restrictions that could hinder their ability to travel to the Lakes to camp.

If campers were unable to stay due to Covid-19 restrictions, they would be refunded for the period the restriction applied (after the period of stay), said the spokesperson.

"Our biggest concern is ensuring everyone is keeping safe, both with MOH guidelines and with water safety. We remind people travelling to the Lakes, or to any bodies of water around summer, to make smart decisions around water."

Whether the campground would be open to only vaccinated people was currently being assessed.

Kai Iwi Lakes Campgrounds are fully booked betweeen the period between 25 December - 11 January. Photo / Richard Robinson

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern last Wednesday confirmed Auckland and the rest of the nation would move into the traffic light system shortly after November 29, likely within 24 to 48 hours.

The system was expected to rely heavily on district health board areas reaching the 90 per cent double vaccination target.

People would be able to travel to or from Auckland from December 15 if they had received both doses of the Covid-19 vaccine or returned a negative test, Ardern said.

However, Te Roroa general manager Snow Tane was concerned that opening Northland borders for Aucklanders could possibly bring more infections into the region and more people would end up in critical care.

"The worst-case scenario is we get a full-blown outbreak like Auckland, and we cannot afford to have that here.

"We have one ICU bed in Dargaville, maybe three in Whangārei, and all we need to get is half a dozen people in ICU, which would mean we will have to send some of the patients down to Auckland."

Tane said the frontline team was double-vaccinated for the safety of visitors entering the district, while also supporting and promoting vaccination in the region.

With regards to the challenge posed by "anti-vaxxers", Tane said the focus was getting vaccination rates up.

"We are utilising our resources in promoting vaccination, especially among those who are vaccine-hesitant.

"Anti-vaxxers, in my understanding, are never going to change their minds. But it is to try and use whatever resource we can to assist the vaccine-hesitant whanau to make the right decision.

"We have had a team working in that space. We are ready to deploy a second team which is going to be focused purely on improving the vaccination rate in our area."

The group was looking at revamping their communication platforms, including webinars, social media, and collaborating with community champions to share the message.

"We are also doing vaccine pop-ups throughout the area. Our plan is to get to more remote places with our team because a lot of our communities are remote, and they are (predominantly) Māori communities. They are the most likely ones to be not vaccinated.

"Our pop-up clinics have given good results and we will continue to run that."

Kaipara Mayor Jason Smith said Northlanders need to prepare for a lot of visitors, noting those visitors would come from places where there was a strong Covid-19 presence in the wastewater.

"I am very concerned for the safety of people in Kaipara and Northland. I am very keen that people here have the same opportunities as everyone else in other parts of New Zealand has.

"Christmas is coming. The Government is going to make a decision soon on when they will open the border for Aucklanders to come piling into Northland.

"We have beautiful beaches, lovely cafes, wonderful attractions, and you could just hear the people in Auckland now who are desperate to get here. So, it is a very great challenge for the people to be ready, because it is coming.

"People will come. Covid-19 is already among us in Northland and it is growing.

"It is just very important that people have access to vaccination rather than saying it takes too long for them to drive to get vaccinated. We need to eliminate those reasons for people because the Covid-19 wave is coming to Northland."

Kaipara Mayor Jason Smith says Northlanders need to prepare for more visitors ahead of the Christmas holidays. Photo / supplied

Smith said the 'Kaipara Call to Arm' (district's vaccination drive) had gone "very well" and another pop-up clinic led by Te Hā Oranga was travelling across Kaipara, from one community to another.

"Our vaccination rates are doing okay in Kaipara. But is it ever enough? No. Will it be enough? No.

"However, there are also the responsible people who are taking care of the people who cannot be vaccinated.

"There is a big challenge to try to have a little virus circulating in the community. And that can only be achieved if everyone who can be vaccinated is vaccinated.

"Some people choose not to and I understand it is their choice, but it is going to pose a very difficult challenge."