No-one left behind in ‘true 90pc’
Covid-19 restrictions will continue until all groups reach 90 per cent vaccination rates, Health Minister Andrew Little says.
The move to ensure no-one is left behind in the drive for vaccinations has been welcomed by community health leaders.
‘‘Aotearoa is in this together,’’ said Raewyn Bhana, a site manager for Christchurch’s Whanau Ora Community Clinic.
The minister’s comments came on the eve of a major government announcement today that is expected to outline clear vaccination targets, the rules regarding vaccine certificates, and a new traffic light system to replace alert levels.
There will also be an economic package aimed at giving more support to the Auckland and Waikato regions after lengthy periods in lockdown.
Speaking to The Press while in Christchurch to talk about health reforms, Little said Maori, Pasifika and disabled communities were vulnerable and would not be left behind or exposed to risk. ‘‘We will do everything we can but the 90 per cent has got to be a true 90 per cent.’’
At present, just 67.4 per cent of Maori and 81.3 per cent of the Pasifika population have had their first jab – while across the whole population the first dose uptake is at 85.6 per cent. Maori and Pasifika both have smaller portions of their populations fully vaccinated, too – at just 46.5 per cent and 61.1 per cent respectively. Nationwide, 68.2 per cent of the population is double-jabbed.
Lower vaccination rates amongst Maori and Pasifika are due in part to access issues, a lack of trust in the Government, and a younger demographic, which only became eligible for the vaccine in September.
Experts previously told The Press that up to 95 per cent of all of Auckland’s eligible communities, including Maori and Pasifika, would need to be fully vaccinated before any significant easing of restrictions.
The city has now been locked
down for more than two months.
Little said low vaccination rates in Maori and Pasifika communities were a risk to the entire population and the Government needed to ‘‘throw the kitchen sink’’ at it. ‘‘Otherwise we end up exposing, in this case Maori, to a high degree of risk of infections,’’ he said.
Dr Rhys Jones, from the University of Auckland’s department of Maori health, said it would be unethical to significantly ease restrictions while vaccine coverage remained low in vulnerable communities.
‘‘Systematic inequities in the vaccine roll-out have left Maori and Pacific communities undervaccinated, so it would be unconscionable for the Government to base decisions on total population coverage.’’
Jones said there needed to be a singular focus on getting Maori and Pacific communities highly vaccinated.
Today, Associate Health Minister for Maori Peeni Henare is expected to reveal how the Government intends to lift vaccination rates.
Little also promised that Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern would provide a clear pathway out of restrictions today. ‘‘We are in a race against time right now to get those vaccine levels up ... The sooner people get vaccinated, the quicker we can move.’’
Little ruled out applying a region-by-region approach to lifting restrictions if some areas reached 90 per cent ahead of others. Localised responses would be easier once New Zealand reached a satisfactory level, he said.
Bhana said the approach of leaving no-one behind was awesome. ‘‘That’s what we need to hear ... Aotearoa is in this together.’’
Bhana is set to start knocking on doors, street by street, to offer vaccinations in Aranui – a Christchurch suburb with notably low uptake among Maori. Only half of the suburb’s 900-odd eligible Maori residents have had their first jab.
Nationwide, the lowest vaccination rates among Maori are in Northland, Bay of Plenty, Taira whiti, Taranaki, and Rotorua Lakes.
Some suburbs within these areas are much worse off. Bay of Plenty’s Murupara has about 1200 eligible Maori, yet only 39.2 per cent have had their first dose.
Vaccine numbers for Maori and Pasifika are lowest among those aged between 12 and 34, though these groups were among the last to get access to the vaccine.
Josiah Tualamali’i, a leader within the Pasifika community in Christchurch, said this was a moment where the Government could demonstrate that everyone’s health and wellbeing mattered.
‘‘This is where we get to show: Do we actually mean what we say?’’ he said.