Kaumātua Morehu Kara of Turuki Healthcare talks about feeding people in isolation, testing, and the importance of getting vaccinated.
Video / Michael Craig
Morehu Kara, Kaumatua of Turuki Healthcare based in Mangere, has a message for South Auckland whanau.
"The message is the same that's been delivered through media," he said, "if you're eligible to be vaccinated then the advice is to be vaccinated.
"If you have any concerns about getting tested, just get tested."
The organisation has a drive-through testing facility on Canning Crescent in Mangere where they are also administering vaccines. They also have testing and vaccination available at their site on Queens Rd in Panmure.
Jo Thorne and Tasha Rukuata at the Turuki Healthcare Covid testing station in Mangere. Photo / Michael Craig
"We've done over 2000 tests since we became operational over the two weeks we've been in operation (at the Mangere site)," Kara said.
And they are on schedule to open another vaccination centre in Manukau this week, which, he says, should stop people crossing the border to the south of Auckland for vaccinations.
"Hopefully the more vaccination clinics will probably will decrease people going from the Auckland region to the Waikato region for their vaccination," he said.
This latest lockdown has a big impact on the community in South Auckland, Kara said, with a substantial number of households enduring self-isolation.
"Because we're situated in Mangere we have a huge population of Pacific and Maori," he said. "The latest cluster, the church cluster, immediately impacts on our community residing in the Mangere area."
Over 2000 tests have been process in two weeks at the Turuki Healthcare Covid testing station. Photo / Michael Craig
And the impact of isolation has increased demand for food parcels.
"A lot of those whanau haven't been moved to the isolation cases at the present and a lot of them are still isolating in their own homes so they're unable to get out to get food," he said.
"We've noticed there's been an increase in demand for food for those people."
And Kara has one more message for everyone as Auckland enters its fourth week of lockdown.
"Be kind to your neighbours, be kind to everybody – it makes a huge difference."
