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New vaccine push as uptake slows in some southern areas

Steven Walton steven.walton@stuff.co.nz

The number of new Covid-19 vaccinations dropped considerably in some poorly vaccinated South Island communities this week – with population growth even outpacing the number of jabs given in two areas.

Health workers remain determined to reach the unvaccinated, with phone calls planned and mobile clinics continuing to operate. Many of the unvaccinated tended to be those living in isolated rural communities, authorities said.

Karamea, Golden Bay and Tākaka Hills were among several South Island areas where the first dose rate increased less than 1 percentage point over the past week, Ministry of Health data showed.

The three areas, home to about 3800 eligible people (those aged 12 and over), gave only 22 first doses in the week ended on Tuesday.

These three suburbs remain among the South Island’s lowest vaccinated areas. In each one, more than 20 per cent of the eligible population is unvaccinated.

‘‘We know there is work to do,’’ Cathy O’Malley, a general manager at the Nelson Marlborough District Health Board, said.

The DHB had mobile vaccination clinics, including large trucks, vans and a campervan, making targeted visits to parts of the region with lower vaccination rates, she said.

Six areas in the South Island’s northwestern tip, including Golden Bay, still had a first dose rate below 80 per cent. The overall first dose rate for Nelson Marlborough was now sitting above 90 per cent.

Two South Island areas made no progress on their first doses in the past week.

The rates actually dropped in Murchison-Nelson Lakes and Greymouth Rural, collectively home to about 1700 eligible people.

This is because the estimated population across the two areas grew by six people but only two first doses were administered over the entire week.

Still, first dose rates are not dropping off in all areas with belowaverage vaccination rates.

Christchurch’s Aranui, the West Coast’s Inangahua, and Southland’s

Ohai-Nightcaps all bumped their first dose rates up by more than 2 percentage points during the week, with 117 first doses given to residents across the three areas.

Conversely, Abel Tasman, Pegasus Bay, Omihi and Ashley Gorge all moved their first dose rate less than 1 percentage point during the week.

Dr Helen Skinner, who is in charge of the Canterbury District Health Board’s Covid-19 response, said she remained committed to improving lagging vaccination rates in North Canterbury.

‘‘We are aware that different communities have differing needs and therefore the best way of reaching people varies greatly between communities,’’ she said.

Nelson Bays Primary Health general manager Charlotte Etheridge said the organisation’s key focus was still accessibility for people in remote rural areas.

‘‘They are out on their farms; they lead those extremely longhours lifestyles,’’ she said.

Etheridge said her organisation was planning another ‘‘Tiki Tour’’, where a van of clinical staff would head out to remote areas. Another tour was held at the end of October.

About 15 staff would head out to vaccinate in Golden Bay today too, she said. ‘‘We have just got to keep trying.’’

Waitaha Primary Health, which works throughout Canterbury’s Hurunui district, has been using the ‘‘JabberWaka’’ mobile vaccination bus since mid-November to reach isolated areas.

The organisation’s chief executive, Bill Eschenbach, said Hurunui’s first dose rate had reached about 86 per cent.

‘‘Over the next 14 days, there are quite a number of initiatives in the Hurunui that we are working towards to increase the vaccination rates,’’ he said.

‘‘We are aware of the unvaccinated population . . . so we are targeting those people.’’

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