Taranaki leaders challenge residents to get vaccinated
Our region’s leaders are urging Taranaki residents to get vaccinated to protect ourselves, our families and our health care workers.
The Taranaki Mayoral Forum is made up of South Taranaki Mayor Phil Nixon, Stratford Mayor Neil Volzke, New Plymouth Mayor Neil Holdom and Taranaki Regional Council Chair David MacLeod.
Taranaki Mayoral Forum Chair Phil Nixon says the Forum welcomes the news that 75% of eligible people within Taranaki have had their first COVID vaccine but is putting out the challenge for the region to become 90% fully vaccinated.
Mayor Nixon says the Forum is supporting the District Health Board through the pandemic as part of its commitment to the wellbeing of Taranaki people and understands how critical it is to achieve more than a 90% vaccination rate to avoid the rationing of healthcare services that is occurring internationally, especially given the Prime Minister’s acknowledgement yesterday that no country in the world has been able to stamp out Delta.
“If we can get over 90% vaccinated, we will take the pressure off our health workers who have been working extremely hard to support all New Zealanders since COVID-19 first arrived in the country 18 months ago. We have heard how concerned our medical professionals are about COVID and we have to respond by stepping up, getting vaccinated and playing our part,” he says.
“COVID-19’s spread south to Waikato is an indication that it was only a matter of time it before it arrives in Taranaki. We are urging residents to take advantage of Super Saturday and visit one of the more than 30 places available around the Maunga to get vaccinated.”
Mayor Nixon also acknowledges the significant contribution Iwi Health providers across the region are playing in getting the vaccination rates up, particularly for Māori.
Mayor Nixon says the Mayoral Forum thanks Police for patrolling the northern boundary at Mokau to ensure compliance with Level 3 travel restrictions as it provided more time to increase the vaccination rate before Delta’s arrival.
“Our Police have stepped up to help protect Taranaki. It is clear COVID is likely to come in from the north and the longer we can keep it out, the lower the health impacts will be on our people.”
