Members of the Ngāti Hine Health Trust team at Moerewa's Vaccination Station at Simson Park. Photo / Peter de Graaf
The final number of vaccinations delivered in Northland on Super Saturday was a whopping 5115 – making it easily the region's biggest vaccination day to date.
Of those 2342 came for their first dose and 2773 had their second shot.
Northland District Health Board chief executive Nick Chamberlain said that amounted to 3.2 per cent of the region's population in a single day.
The region's target for the day was 3900 doses.
He was grateful to general practices, pharmacies, community organisations, Māori health providers and health board staff who worked together to make an epic day.
However, Chamberlain said Northlanders couldn't afford to take their foot off the pedal.
''There have been a number of near-misses in Northland in the last month. The inability to identify the specific places of interest that the three people who have tested positive for Covid-19 visited in Northland has been extremely frustrating and poses a terrible risk,'' he said. ''Covid-19 may well be in our community and we just haven't found it as yet.''
Chamberlain urged anyone who had been in contact with someone who had tested positive to Covid-19, or who had symptoms of Covid-19, to get tested without delay.
''If we are to have any chance to enjoy a summer with no lockdown we need 100 per cent of our eligible population to be vaccinated, we need to continue to wear masks, wash our hands, stay home if we are sick and get tested if unwell.''
Sixteen to 34-year-olds remained a concern with nearly 12,000 Māori and 9000 non-Māori in that age group not vaccinated before Super Saturday.
''It's critical that all of these people have their first dose by November 19 so they can be fully vaccinated before Christmas.''
Chamberlain said the health board had Covid-19 management and escalation plans ready in case of an outbreak in the community, but no health service had infinite capacity.
If Northland's vaccination rates were high, health services would remain available to those who needed them.
'You don’t want to be doom and gloom your whole life. That's just a miserable way to live'