Today the Canterbury community has reached the milestone of having 90 percent of our eligible population fully vaccinated against COVID-19 says Dr Helen Skinner, Canterbury’s Senior Responsible Officer for the COVID-19 response.

“To see 90 percent of our population fully vaccinated as we head into summer and the Christmas break is just amazing,” says Dr Skinner.

“Thank you to all Cantabrians who’ve rolled up their sleeves and got vaccinated. I’m hopeful that we won’t see many Cantabrians falling seriously ill even if they catch COVID-19 due to our high vaccination rates.

“Our vaccination teams have worked incredibly hard to reach this milestone. We thank our primary care partners including general practices and pharmacies, Māori and Pasifika health organisations, lead maternity carers and midwives, community leaders and community providers who have gone above and beyond to reach our communities, and Canterbury businesses who continue to support the vaccination campaign.

“We are still working hard to kōrero on vaccination with our Māori community and to reassure pregnant people that getting their vaccinations is safe.

“We are committed to continuing to encourage all eligible Cantabrians to get vaccinated, and to encourage people who are already protected to reach out to those who still may feel hesitant.”

Our drop-in clinics provide safe, welcoming spaces for anyone to come along, have a chat, and have all their COVID-19 vaccination questions answered. Our mobile clinics and community pop-up events see our vaccination teams visiting where people live and work.

You can find your nearest vaccination clinic here https://vaccinatecanterburywestcoast.nz/.

It’s also worth noting the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine is now available forthose aged 18 and older who cannot receive the Pfizer vaccine, and for people who would like a differentoption and bookings can be made using Book My Vaccine or by calling 0800 282 926.

“I’d also like to remind the community that now is a good time to start preparing for what you need to do if you do catch COVID-19.

“Readiness is about people and communities being prepared to support each other. It is things like deciding what whānau can do when someone tests positive, making lists of those who can help, figuring out how to get food and essential items, and what else you might need when isolating,” says Dr Skinner.

People are able to use the simple COVID-19 Readiness Checklist to prepare for if they or someone in their household or community contracts COVID-19.

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