The study's authors say the elimination strategy meant most people were able to be vaccinated before being exposed to the virus.(file image) Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver
A new study estimates vaccines prevented between 4000 and 12,000 deaths during the Omicron phase of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The paper, published in the medical journal Vaccine, models scenarios with different levels of vaccine coverage in the 18 months from January 2022.
The authors say the elimination strategy meant most people were able to be vaccinated before being exposed to the virus.
The researchers say it meant there were between 34,000 and 56,000 fewer hospitalisations over the period.
However, co-author and Covid-19 researcher professor Michael Plank said if Māori vaccination rates had been on par with Pākehā, up to a quarter of the nearly 300 Māori who died would still be alive.
During the during the Omicron period, 292 Māori died of the virus.
Prof Plank said the findings showed equity between Māori and non-Māori needed to be a key focus of future vaccination programmes.
The study concluded Covid-19 vaccination greatly reduced the burden on the health system in New Zealand.
Aotearoa had one of the lowest pandemic mortality rates in the world.
The study work was partly funded by the New Zealand Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and Ministry of Health.