Counties Manukau DHB has reached 90% first COVID-19 vaccination doses, meaning all three Auckland DHBs have now crossed the threshold for first doses, a key milestone on the path to Auckland opening up, Minister for COVID-19 Response, Chris Hipkins said yesterday.
Auckland DHB is at 95% first doses and 87% second doses. Waitemata DHB is at 92% and 83% second doses. Counties Manukau is now at 90% first doses and 80% second doses.
Auckland will move across into the new COVID ‘traffic light’ system with fewer restrictions once all three DHBs have reached 90% fully vaccinated, the Minister said.
“Auckland is leading the way with vaccinations, and it is exciting to see Counties Manukau reach that all important 90% first dose figure,” said Mr Hipkins.
“Today we are an important step closer to Auckland transitioning to the new traffic light system which means restrictions will ease once each DHB is 90 percent second dose.
“There’s been a huge amount of targeted work going on by local health providers to make vaccines easily accessible and to address hesitancy. It’s really pleasing to see that work paying off.
“In particular the work of Māori and Pacific providers in Counties Manukau is succeeding. Getting to 90 percent first doses required pulling out all the stops in Auckland. This has included literally going door to door to ensure people are vaccinated.”
He said getting every DHB in Auckland up to 90% fully vaccinated was within our reach.
“On current daily rates we could be there within three weeks so long as people return for their second dose.”
“Everyone wants restrictions eased as soon as possible. We need to keep going and get those final second doses so we can ease restrictions with high rates of vaccination and high levels of confidence,” Mr Hipkins said.