25 Nov 2021

South Canterbury latest DHB to reach 90pc first doses

4:53 pm on 25 November 2021

South Canterbury has become the latest district health board to pass 90 percent first doses for the Covid-19 vaccine.

No caption

Photo: AFP

The board has less than 4000 second doses to reach the 90 percent fully-vaccinated mark.

It leaves West Coast as the only South Island DHB not to pass 90 percent of the eligible population with one vaccination.

The West Coast still requires about 800 more people to get their first shot to reach the mark.

Meanwhile, Canterbury and Southern are in a tight race to be the first South Island DHB to be 90 fully vaccinated.

About 86 percent of the residents in each region are fully vaccinated.

Meanwhile, Minister for Pacific Peoples Aupito William Sio says Pasifika will keep aiming high after reaching a major vaccination milestone.

Ninety percent of Pacific communities have had a first Pfizer shot, but that number is expected to climb further before the summer holidays.

"That means in three weeks time they can all get fully vaccinated, but we'll continue to champion and push for higher rates of vaccination leading up to the Christmas period."

Sio said that reflected the hard work and dedication of Pacific health providers and community leaders.