New car up for grabs for double vaccinated

All double vaccinated West Coasters will go in a draw to be the owner of a brand-new car if the region reaches a target of being

90 per cent fully vaccinated against Covid19 by Christmas.

Development West Coast has partnered with Grey Ford to launch the ‘‘Car up for Jabs’’ campaign in an effort to boost the region’s lagging vaccination rate. The West Coast has the lowest vaccination rate in the South Island, with 87 per cent of its residents having received their first dose. It is the only DHB area in the South Island not to have reached 90 per cent for first doses.

According to the Ministry of Health, 3552 vaccines still need to be administered to get the region to 90 per cent fully vaccinated.

Development West Coast chief executive Heath Milne said the campaign

prize of a brand-new Ford Escape or 2WD Ranger would only be offered if the West Coast hit the magic 90 per cent double vaccinated milestone by Christmas Eve.

All West Coast residents who were double-jabbed would be eligible to win. The winner would be picked at random by the West Coast District Health Board that has the vaccination information.

‘‘We are focusing on getting to 90 per cent to get some Aucklanders down here. Hitting 90 per cent by Christmas and staying away from the restrictive alert levels will give a real boost to the economy.’’

People needed to get their first dose by December 3 to allow a three-week gap to be fully vaccinated by Christmas.

‘‘West Coast businesses need some certainty on how they can operate and getting the region to 90 per cent as soon as possible is the only way we can do this,’’ Milne said.

Te Ha¯ o Kawatiri kaiwhakahaere (operations manager) Rehia McDonald said she was working to drive up rates in Buller with a community celebration and vaccination event today at the NBS Theatre in Westport.

McDonald said everyone getting their first dose would get a $20 voucher for groceries or fuel, and go into a draw to win up to $500 cash. Those getting their second dose would get a coffee voucher and go into a draw for $100 cash.