‘Covid is coming’ – Hipkins urges regions to get vaccinated

November 11, 2021

Hipkins says the Government is not going to keep Auckland locked down, adding the rest of the country needs to get the jab.

Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins is not mincing his words, saying on Wednesday that the virus will spread to the regions, which he urged to get vaccinated.

It comes as Auckland edges closer to its target of all DHBs reaching a 90 per cent double dose rate of the Covid-19 vaccine.

Speaking to media on Wednesday, Hipkins said he thinks “there are pockets of the New Zealand community who have formed the view that Covid is not going to affect them".

“They’re wrong. Covid-19 is not going to remain contained in Auckland. And I have said that as explicitly as I can for some weeks now.

“We are reaching the point where Covid-19 will spread, and it will find unvaccinated people. That’s been the international experience,” Hipkins said.

He said the Government is “not going to keep Auckland locked down, as the Prime Minister has indicated we actually want Aucklanders to travel for their summer holidays".

Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins.

“That does just reiterate the urgency for people around the rest of the country to get vaccinated because Covid is coming.”

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