1 Oct 2021

Māori not near 90 percent in Auckland Covid-19 vaccination numbers

From Checkpoint, 6:07 pm on 1 October 2021

The latest vaccination rates show Māori in Auckland will not come anywhere near the 90 percent first dose challenge laid down by the Prime Minister in time for next week alert level review.

And reaching that target could take months. Jacinda Ardern hinted that hitting the 90 percent mark could influence restrictions on Auckland - but she later clarified that needs to be across all groups - including Māori.

The Prime Minister has already confirmed even if there is a shift in levels - the hard border around the city will remain. So what does vaccination picture look like for Auckland?

Lisa Owen explains the details, and Professor Chris Cunningham - Māori Health and Development Research centre director at Te Pūmanawa Hauora - says there's three major issues at play.