Covid-19: New Zealand reaches 90 per cent vaccination milestone

Thursday, 16 December 2021

PM Jacinda Ardern announced that Auckland and some low-vaccinated regions will enter the new Covid-19 Protection Framework at the red setting, with the rest of the country doing so at the orange setting. (First published on November 20, 2021)

Ninety per cent of eligible Kiwis are fully vaccinated against Covid-19.

Government records show 3,789,662 of the 4,209,057 eligible New Zealanders aged 12 and over are now fully vaccinated.

Almost four million, a total of 3,969,267 (or 94 per cent), are partially vaccinated.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced on Wednesday that New Zealand had reached the 90 per cent target. Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins on Thursday said the milestone had been hit by the end of the day.

* Wellington's Pacific community hits 90pc partially vaccinated

A drive-through vaccination centre near Ngāruawāhia.

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Hipkins also noted that 90 per cent of the residents within seven district health boards (DHBs), including the three in Auckland, are fully vaccinated.

Across the country 15,000 vaccinators have been involved in the roll-out of the Pfizer vaccine.

Hipkins said there was still more to do to raise vaccination rates, including in Māori and Pacific communities.

The latest numbers show 86 per cent of Māori are partly vaccinated, and 75 per cent are fully vaccinated, while Pacific people are 94 per cent partly and 87 per cent fully vaccinated.

New Zealand is now operating under the Covid traffic light system, which allows freedom according to individuals’ vaccination status.

Originally, the Government said it would not adopt the system until every health board hit 90 per cent double vaccination, but later relaxed its stance.

The five DHBs with the lowest full vaccination rates are: Northland, 81 per cent; Tarawhiti, 82 per cent; and West Coast, Whanganui and Lakes, all at 84 per cent.

Most regions now under the strictest red light setting will move to the orange setting on December 30.

They are: Auckland, Taupō, Rotorua Lakes, Kawerau, Whakatane, Ōpōtiki, Gisborne, Wairoa, Rangitikei, Whanganui and Ruapehu districts.

Northland will remain at the red setting.

The rest of the country, including the whole South Island, has been under orange rules since the system was introduced a fortnight ago.

Meanwhile, vaccination of children aged 5 to 11 could begin in New Zealand next month.

The Ministry of Health announced on Thursday that Medsafe has granted provisional approval for the Pfizer vaccine for the age group.

If approved by Cabinet, the roll-out of the vaccine to children would start by late January. The paediatric dose would be one-third of the adult dose.