Waikato could still move to alert level 2

There is a glimmer of hope that Waikato could move to alert level 2 before it reaches 90 per cent vaccination rates, say a Labour politician and a public health expert.

A politician in opposition also says it will happen, but only when the Government can’t reach its vaccination target.

Parts of Waikato, including Hamilton, have been in level 3 lockdown since October 3, when Covid-19 cases were reported in Raglan and Hamilton East.

The level 3 boundary was later extended to the Waitomo, Waipā and Ō torohanga districts. The lockdown will be reviewed on Wednesday.

Professor Michael Baker told

a move to alert level 2 comes down to three things – vaccinations, contact tracing and abiding by alert level restrictions.

‘‘If the people follow the rules

. . . the likelihood of moving to alert level 2 is possible,’’ he said.

Chains of transmission must be stamped out before a move, he said.

Waikato had four new community cases yesterday, taking the region’s total to 91. Six cases remain unlinked.

Vaccination rates will be extra important in light of Friday’s announcement of a new traffic light system of restrictions, to be used once all DHBs have vaccinated 90 per cent of their eligible population.

The system would eliminate almost all lockdowns and generally see schools open all the time, but stricter limits on people who are not vaccinated and businesses which don’t require vaccination certificates. Localised lockdowns would still be in the toolkit.

Waikato is sitting at 85 per cent for first doses of the Pfizer vaccine, with second doses sitting at 68 per cent.

Hamilton East Labour MP Jamie Strange said the region was in a higher restriction than the City of Sails because it has a greater chance of moving to level 2.

‘‘Lumping us in with Auckland and making it one big region isn’t a good idea. We’re in a different situation,’’ Strange said.

‘‘I’m not saying it will be easy, the Te Awamutu cluster is the most challenging cluster at present.

‘‘The [Waikato] testing rates are high, that’s positive ... There is hope, the six unlinked cases is where the decision-making will centre around.’’

Meanwhile, a move to alert level 2 is inevitable, but won’t come in a great hurry, National’s Hamilton East MP David Bennett said.

It would only happen because the Government was unable to sustain the 90 per cent vaccination target, he added.

‘‘The elimination strategy hasn’t worked, and now it’s a catch-up period where they are pushing for vaccinations.

‘‘Covid will get through the country in the near future and that may happen before the 90 per cent targets are achieved, but they will need to open up to a lower level at some point.

Nationwide, based on Ministry of Health vaccination data – as at 11.59pm on Sunday – 87 per cent of the eligible population over the age of 12 has had one dose, while 71 per cent are fully vaccinated.

And Andrew Sporle, who teaches statistics and research design at Auckland University, said we’ll need to go beyond the 90 per cent vaccination target.

The Government is using 90 per cent of people engaged with health care services, not 90 per cent of the population, he said.

‘‘It’s a useful target, but it’s not a goal. We need to keep going,’’ Sporle said.