Ma¯ori and Pasifika vaccine programme begins

The Southern District Health Board has launched a Maori and Pasifika Covid-19 vaccination programme, which is hoped to reach 32,000 people in Southland and Otago. Southern Health has partnered with Arai Te Uru Whare Hauora, Awarua Whanau Services, Nga Kete Matauranga Pounamu Charitable Trust and O takou Health Limited to create drop-in clinics. Maori and Pacific communities will also be invited to use dedicated time slots at mass vaccination clinics in Dunedin and Invercargill, rural clinics and marae-based clinics. Southern DHB Covid-19 vaccine rollout incident controller Hamish Brown said a ‘‘whanau-centred, drop-in model’’ had been identified as the most effective way to vaccinate Maori and Pasifika communities in the Southern district.