Monday February 28: There are 14,633 new community cases of Covid-19 in New Zealand today. Video / NZ Herald
Local Māori vaccination rates may take another month to reach the 90 per cent fully vaccinated target, the Lakes District Health Board says.
Covid-19 cases in the health board's area are predominantly Māori, data from public health unit Toi Te Ora shows.
Waiariki MP and Māori Party co-leader Rawiri Waititi is in isolation at home after a household contact tested positive. He implored people to get the vaccine. He says no other whānau member has tested positive yet and thinks this is because of "the barrier that the vaccination has provided".
According to board chief operating officer Alan Wilson, 1307 Māori, as of Monday afternoon, needed to get their second vaccine dose to reach the 90 per cent vaccination target.
It was 32 first doses away from reaching the 90 per cent first-dose milestone.
"We expect to reach the first dose 90 per cent milestone by the end of this week, the second dose may take at least another month," Wilson said.
Lakes District Health Board chief operating officer Alan Wilson. Photo / Supplied
"The DHB is working well with Te Arawa Covid Collective and Te Arawa Whānau Ora who are using a house and street process in Rotorua to reach areas where there are a large number of non-vaccinated Māori."
Marae-based clinics, gang sessions and working with iwi groups were also being supported by DHBs, iwi and Māori health providers, Wilson said. Meanwhile, the Clayton Rd drive-through clinic had been "very successful" at getting large numbers of people vaccinated too.
People queue at the Te Arawa drive-through clinic last year for a Covid-19 vaccination. Photo / Andrew Warner
Wilson said it was urgent for anyone who was eligible to get vaccinated, whether it was a first or second dose or booster.
"People admitted to a hospital ward, or an ICU with Covid are very seldom vaccinated – vaccination is one way to keep yourself, and others around you, safe."
The Ministry of Health reported yesterday 90.9 per cent of eligible Māori - including those vaccinated overseas - had received their first dose, 87.3 per cent their second, and 59.4 per cent had their booster.
Waititi said the household member who tested positive has been asymptomatic, another benefit he attributed to the vaccine.
"With Covid cases climbing daily and our winter months approaching I am really encouraging our whānau to get vaccinated," he said.
"The fact that the Māori vaccination rate is so close to 90 per cent is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our Māori healthcare workers, providers and iwi.
"They are working around the clock to keep our people safe in such unprecedented times."
Māori Party co-leader Rawiri Waititi, the MP for Waiariki. Photo / George Novak
Waititi said he was in awe of the mahi of the Māori healthcare workers and that solutions driven by Māori for Māori were proven to work.
Data provided by Toi Te Ora showed for the four weeks ending February 23, 44 per cent of cases in the Lakes health board were Māori.
According to ministry figures, the overall vaccination rates for the Lakes health board were 93.6 per cent first dose, 91.5 per cent second dose, and 68.6 per cent booster.
There were also 376 new local cases and three people with the virus in Rotorua Hospital.
Te Arawa Covid Response Hub co-chair Monty Morrison said the community had done an "incredible job" getting vaccinated, across the board and regardless of ethnicity.
He said the drive-through clinic had been successful but they also found it beneficial to take the vaccine to whānau in places "they know well and feel comfortable in" like on marae or at sports clubs.
"These sorts of outreach clinics will become even more important over the coming weeks and months," he said.
"As expected, we still have some groups to reach who are hesitant about the vaccine for a number of reasons. That's going to take a targeted, different approach and a lot more support. We know people have questions and want more information, and we are more than happy to help with this.
"It's really important to reinforce that it is never too late to start building your immunity and defences for Covid. It doesn't matter whether you need your first, second or booster dose – there is no judgment, we are here to help whānau make these decisions."
Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick asked people to get vaccinated if eligible and to follow the guidelines set by health authorities as the Omicron outbreak continues to spread.
"It's great to see we are nearing this milestone for our Māori community – a lot of effort has gone into getting to this point and I know that those efforts will continue.
Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick. Photo / Andrew Warner
"My message to everyone is to keep up the good work, please get vaccinated if you aren't already, get your boosters if you are already double-vaccinated and don't forget the children.
"Omicron continues to ramp up, as we knew it would, and vaccination remains our best protection, reducing our chances of getting it and reducing the severity of symptoms. It's not 'just a common cold' for everyone and we want to do whatever we can to protect our people and also protect our local economy."
