Kaumātua 'on top of the world' after getting Covid vaccine at Marlborough marae

Thursday, 15 April 2021

Waikawa Marae chairperson Rita Powick said getting the vaccine at the marae, rather than in a “clinical space”, made everyone very relaxed.

Not everyone gets a waiata after their Covid-19 vaccination, but Rita Powick does.

Powick was the first kaumātua to receive the vaccine at a special clinic at Waikawa Marae, in Waitohi/Picton, on Thursday.

Powick said getting the vaccine was about protecting their whakapapa.

She said it was amazing to receive the vaccination at the marae, “around our whānau, iwi and hapū”.

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Waikawa Marae members, from left, George Aldridge Rita Powick, and Ngaro Moana Aldridge have a cup of tea after receiving their first dose of the Covid vaccine.

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“I’m pleased I’ve done it. I wasn’t worried about it [the vaccination] … I’m probably more excited about having it done here and having it done with my whānau … to me that’s important,” Powick said.

Registered nurse Amber Ford gives Waikawa Marae kaumātua Lorraine Thomson her vaccine.

“It’s really critical that we get good information around our health, and that we take responsibility personally and collectively for our health practices.”

The special clinic was a collaboration between Te Piki Oranga, Nelson Marlborough Health, the Marlborough Primary Health Organisation and Waikawa Marae.

Thirty over-65s received their first dose of the Pfizer vaccine on Thursday.

Despite the absence of pregnant women from trials, the team says women can today be reassured about the safety of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.

Earlier this week, the New Zealand Aged Care Association said the roll-out at the top of the south was a benchmark for other regions, with vaccinations in rest homes running ahead of schedule.

As of Wednesday, 8716 doses of the Covid-19 vaccine had been provided across Nelson-Tasman and Marlborough. Of this, 1890 were at Marlborough-based sites.

But Te Piki Oranga top of the south Covid-19 response manager Sarah Lee said on Thursday not everyone at risk of the virus lived in aged-care facilities.

George Aldridge receives the vaccine on Thursday.

“We’ve been in to aged [care] facilities, but often from an equity lens for Māori, they don’t go into those facilities,” Lee said.

“So we wanted to give active protection to their community, which meant coming to the marae.”

Powick said getting the vaccine at the marae, rather than in a “clinical space”, made everyone feel very relaxed.

Te Piki Oranga top of the south Covid-19 response manager Sarah Lee says it is important to bring the clinic to the marae so kaumātua are comfortable when getting the vaccine.

“That’s what you want, to be able to pull the best of your community and to use the strengths that you have to make things happen. I certainly am really appreciative of that.”

Aunty Ngaro Moana Aldridge said she chose to get the vaccine to keep herself and her family safe.

“I'm just grateful that we were able to have the Covid vaccination on Waikawa Marae, our marae of Te Ātiawa, and I’m so grateful [for] how many people have come to look after us.

As of Wednesday, 8716 doses of the Covid-19 vaccine have been provided across Nelson Tasman and Marlborough.

“When I look around at the staff here, it’s just so awesome, we've been well looked after.”

Nelson Marlborough Heath strategy, primary and community general manager Cathy O’Malley said more clinics for kaumātua were planned for the region.

Te Piki Oranga’s Noho Pakari (sit and be fit) programme was scheduled to receive the vaccine on Tuesday next week.

This Saturday, there was a clinic for kaumātua at the Marlborough Youth Trust in Blenheim.

Another clinic would be held at Waikawa Marae in three weeks’ time for kaumātua to receive their second dose, and for other iwi members to receive their first dose. It was expected to be at least double the size of Thursday’s clinic.

In May, vaccination would start for people in the Marlborough region aged under 65 who had underlying health conditions such as serious and chronic respiratory conditions, chronic kidney disease and diabetes, O’Malley said.

She said they were targetting this group because the flu vaccination was not due in the country until May 17.

O’Malley said they were in the process of opening a community clinic in Blenheim to help with the vaccine roll-out.

“Vaccination is currently available at Wairau Hospital, the Blenheim Health Hub and the outreach clinics, for example, marae, and to kaumātua groups,” O’Malley said.

“The community clinic in Blenheim will enable greater provision and uptake.”

She encouraged people to make informed choices about important health decisions, such as vaccination.

People could talk to their GP, practice nurse, iwi healthcare provider or a Healthline nurse.