Covid vaccination drive instead of independence day celebration

Ralph Correa is urging Northland's multi ethnic community to take advantage of the vaccination drive this weekend. Photo / Michael Cunningham

A cultural group has teamed up with health professionals to come up with a novel way to commemorate India's independence day in Northland — by getting the region's multi ethnic population vaccinated against Covid.

The Northland Indian Association, in conjunction with the Northland District Health Board, is conducting a Covid vaccination drive in Whangārei on Sunday for anyone over 16 who'd like to get either first or second jab.

India's independence day falls on August 15 and the association is celebrating its 16th birthday on that day as well.

Association chairman Ralph Correa, who also chairs the Multi Ethnic Collective in Northland, said there was a big appetite among members of both organisations to do something worthwhile for the community on India's independence day.

"Rather than staggering the age groups, we decided to vaccinate whole families 16 and over and it'd work well on the weekend as a lot of people are working during the day," Correa said.

"We thought something like this would be good for the community. Our celebration always includes food so we'll incorporate that as part of the vaccination drive by serving Indian snacks and tea."

Correa is encouraging people of Indian origin, in particular, to get vaccinated because Covid was ravaging parts of the Indian sub continent as well as countries such as South Africa and Fiji that have large Indian populations.

"This vaccination drive is also for people who have become vegetarian, are religious, or do things like yoga or identify with Indian customs and traditions, as well for other multi ethnic communities that call Northland home."

Northland's multi ethnic community can get Covid vaccination in Whangārei on India's independence day celebration. Photo / Supplied

Correa said the association was striving to have a healthy population in Northland and the rest of New Zealand, given the situation with Covid overseas.

"There's a solution and it's available here so why not get the benefits as well as encourage others to get vaccinated? In other countries, Covid is getting out of hand and as much as people there want to be vaccinated, they can't have it. Here, it's given free," he said.

Correa has lost cousins from Covid and other family and friends who tested positive in his native Goa, in India's west.

The vaccination drive on Sunday, August 15, will run from 1pm at the Whangārei Sikh Temple on 23 Water St.