December 21 2021
The Government has announced a suite of changes to bolster New Zealand's defences against the Omicron variant of Covid-19 - including pushing out changes to border rules until the end of February.
A health provider is offering "a whole range of services" to a community with one of the lowest vaccination rates in the country to stop the spread of Covid-19.
As of yesterday, Murupara had four confirmed Covid-19 cases isolating at home.
Murupara was ranked 2144 out of 2156 statistical area 2s, according to the Ministry of Health. A statistical area 2 was similar to a suburb.
Just over half - 51.6 per cent - of Murupara's eligible population was fully vaccinated and 67 per cent had had their first dose, according to Ministry of Health data. Data also showed 48.9 per cent of its Māori population was fully vaccinated.
There were 11 new Covid-19 cases in the Bay of Plenty and four in the Lakes District Health Board areas yesterday.
Ten of the Bay of Plenty cases were in Tauranga and one was in Murupara. Three of the Lakes cases were in Rotorua and one was in Taupō. One case was in Tauranga Hospital.
Ten of the Bay of Plenty cases, including the new case in Murupara, were linked to previously reported cases, and one was still being investigated for potential links. All four Lakes cases remained under investigation for links to previously reported cases.
All cases in the Bay of Plenty and Lakes were isolating at home.
Bay of Plenty District Health Board clarified to the Rotorua Daily Post last night there were currently four Covid-positive cases isolating at home in Murupara.
"Discrepancy in figures being that two had previously been reported as Eastern Bay cases and not Murupara specifically," the DHB said.
In Murupara, local iwi health provider Te Ika Whenua Hauora was managing testing and vaccination with support from the DHB. A testing centre had been opened and details were available on the Healthpoint website.
Te Puna Ora o Mataatua Charitable Trust chief executive Dr Chris Tooley. Photo / Supplied
Te Puna Ora o Mataatua Charitable Trust chief executive Dr Chris Tooley said the trust was "concerned" about the positive cases in Murupara and was working with iwi there to help get people vaccinated.
The trust had "a whole range of services" in Murupara for swabbing, testing, delivering welfare and hardship support, and extra vaccination mobile teams.
The clinical teams provided normal GP services, as well as swabbing, testing, vaccinations and helped monitor those who were self-isolating by making sure they were not getting worse or needing to go to hospital.
"We're expecting those that do have to self-isolate can actually just isolate at home under the right conditions with all the right support and as long as we're monitoring them, hopefully, we won't get too many cases that need to go through the hospital.
Tooley said clinical teams were providing support to Covid cases and ensuring their welfare at home was okay.
"We're minimising contacts and doing all of the extra support that [is] required especially during this time of the year when everyone wants to be together and enjoy the company of family."
Tooley said Covid cases in the Eastern Bay were "always going to be a concern" because their vaccination rates were lower.
"We've just got to keep pushing and keep doing what we're doing."
Bay of Plenty DHB Covid-19 Incident Controller Trevor Richardson said the DHB was focusing on giving unvaccinated people a range of opportunities to get their shot before Christmas.
It was working with Māori and iwi hauora providers and collaborating on initiatives with community-led groups including door knocking, and mobile vaccination teams heading to rural areas and connecting with whānau that experience multiple barriers to accessing good health care.
"The vaccine rollout is a community effort and we all have a role to play. If you haven't already had your vaccine, please seek trusted information about the protection the vaccine offers us ... If you've already had your vaccination, have the kōrero about the vaccine with those who haven't. Think of your whānau and how we can protect our community from Covid-19."
He said the DHB was on track to hit a 90 per cent full vaccination rate by the end of the year.
Te Puna Ora o Mataatua Charitable Trust chief operating officer Lee Colquhoun speaking to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in Murupara in October. Photo / Supplied
In October, the trust's chief operating officer Lee Colquhoun said it wanted to increase vaccination rates in Murupara and it would go there for the next eight weeks to "really try to prioritise some of these small areas".
