Ninety percent of the country’s Pacific community has received their first dose of the Pfizer vaccine. Minister for Pacific Peoples Hon Aupito William Sio announced the milestone today, but acknowledged there is still work to be done.
“Reaching this milestone reflects the work Pacific Health Providers and other community leaders have put in to reaching people in our Pacific communities across Aotearoa to support the vaccination drive — by door-knocking, going to workplaces and places of worship to vaccinate,” he said.
“However, we still have work to do to reach those who are yet to receive their first dose, and also to encourage our communities to get their second dose.”
Sio said Pacific-led vaccination initiatives work best for the community. These include pop-up vaccination centres, community outreach activity, a special 0800 vaccine number staffed by Pacific language speakers and vaccination buses targeting areas with access difficulties and low vaccination rates.
There are also Pacific community roadshows and online fono involving Pacific youth about Covid-19 misinformation, which has been set up by the Ministry of Health in partnership with MPP.
Contents relating to misinformation on the vaccine and vaccine hesitancy will be available in the nine Pacific languages on the Unite Against COVID-19 website.
“The Ministry of Health has also commissioned research to better understand Pacific peoples’ attitudes towards the COVID-19 vaccination, which helps to further refine our approach towards addressing vaccine hesitancy and misinformation amongst Pacific communities,” he said.
Upcoming vaccination events
Meanwhile, vaccination centres continue to welcome anyone aged 12 and over wanting to receive their first or second dose of the vaccine.
On Thursday, Aucklanders can pop in to three Auckland City locations: Ōrākei Marae from 9am to 2pm, AUT City Campus from 11am – 3pm (and Friday from 11 – 2pm) or Takutai Square, Britomart from 1- 3pm.
And this Saturday 27 November will see six community-led vaccination events around Auckland:
The Langimalie and FCT collaboration Mo’ui Ma’a Tonga will operate from 8:30am to 5pm at 47 Favona Road, Māngere.
The Talangofua drive will operate from 9am to 3pm at 148 Coronation Rd, Māngere Bridge.
Malaetoa Vaccination Drive will operate from 9am – 5pm at 16 Waokauri Place, Māngere.
Huki Ke Puipui a Niue Vaccination Drive will operate from 9am – 5pm at The Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (15 Robertson Rd, Favona).
A whānau friendly vaccination centre will operate from 9am – 1pm at the Panmure Stake Centre (LDS Church, Lunn Avenue) and another over at Ian Shaw Park from 9am to 4pm.
There will also be a Pacific vaccination centre for our Rotorua community. The Rotorua Lakes DHB COVID-19 Vaccination team, Rotorua Pacific Island Development Charitable Trust (RPIDCT) and other medical professional teams are running their final vaccination centre for 2021 at the COVID-19 Immunisation HUB ( Next to Noel Leeming and Uncle Bills). The event will operate from 2pm – 4pm and bookings are mandatory.
To book an appointment, please call 07 347 721 or email [email protected] with your full name, date of birth and contact number.
