Over 98% of border workers have received at least one dose of Covid vaccine - Hipkins

September 29, 2021

Border workers have 24 hours to receive their first dose if they wish to continue working at the border.

Over 98 per cent of active border workers have received at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, according to Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins. 

The figure rose from 84 per cent having received one dose in July. It includes a sharp increase in vaccinated port workers from 55 per cent to 95 per cent.

As of Wednesday morning, 93 per cent are fully vaccinated. 

"As of midnight tomorrow, the requirement will come into force for all border workers in roles where they might come into contact with Covid-19 to be vaccinated," Hipkins said during the daily Covid-19 update.

“This greater protection at our border gives us confidence that those people who are going to work and doing jobs that potentially bring them into greater risk of contact with Covid aren’t then going to get sick or die from Covid or pass that on to other people."

Hipkins said he is "incredibly proud of the work that our border workers have been doing to ensure that they are getting on with the job and getting vaccinated to protect themselves and to protect others".

He gave a "big thank you" to the DHBs, employers, unions and border workers themselves in providing "good, accurate information so [border workers] can make informed decisions around vaccination". 

Border workers have 24 hours to midnight Thursday to receive their first dose if they wish to continue working at the border, followed by a further 35 days to get their second dose. 

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