Drive-through vaccinates hundreds of Māori, Pasifika and essential workers

Tuesday, 24 August 2021

Vaccinator Rebekah Elliot gives another dose of the vaccine at Palmerston North's drive-through centre.

Hundreds of Māori, Pasifika and essential workers are getting their Covid-19 vaccinations at a new drive-through centre in Palmerston North.

On Tuesday the centre opened by appointment at the Central Energy Trust Arena aiming to vaccinate more than 300 people from 12pm to 4pm.

Cars two abreast waited in lines that snaked from the Arena’s Cuba St entrance and down Pascal St, as vaccinators worked to protect the community from the highly contagious Delta variant of Covid-19.

By noon, there were 148 active cases across Auckland and Wellington with more than 50 per cent of those Pasifika people. More than 15,000 people are considered to be contacts of those infected.

Debbie Davies covid-19 vaccination programme senior responsible officer encourages MÄori and Pacifika to book their vaccine.

* First drive-thru vaccination clinic starts up in Feilding

There are 38 new positive cases of Covid-19 in Auckland as well as three in Wellington that are all close contacts of previous cases.

* Māori wardens direct traffic at Covid-19 vaccination centre

The centre, based off Feilding Health Centre’s drive-through operation, had been in the works for weeks. But, as Delta spread across the country, the MidCentral District Health Board fast tracked its delivery, Debbie Davies said.

Davies, the senior responsible officer for the DHB’s Covid-19 vaccination programme, said the centre was working on appointments, taking on all Māori, Pasifika and essential workers aged 12 and above, and anyone aged 40 and above.

On Wednesday this would include people aged 30 and above.

Dozens wait for their turn at the drive-through vaccination centre set up and going at the Central Energy Trust arena in Palmerston North.

“We are prioritising these groups as research shows that Māori and Pasifika populations are at more risk of getting very sick if they catch Covid-19,” Davies said.

Māori and Pasifika people are being vaccinated at nearly half the rate of others in the MidCentral area, according to Ministry of Health data.

The vaccination queue extends down Pascal St, Palmerston North, on Tuesday.

Davies, who has whakapapa with Ngā Puhi, said Māori who booked in for a vaccine shouldn't be put off if they didn't look traditionally Māori; whakapapa was enough and the system was based on trust.

Nicholas Vosarogo, 22, was waiting in line for his vaccination just before 2pm.

He said he was getting it to protect his whānau and friends, after Pasifika groups contacted his church urging them to take the vaccine.

A Samoan woman, who didn't want to be named, said she was happy to take the vaccine.

“We were contacted by a Pasifika nurse and she's trusted, so if she says it’s good, we trust her.

“Being in the car is heaps better, we’ve got music, we’ve got air-con, we’ve got snacks. The nurse told us to bring this, so we're well-informed.”

Across the DHB’s rohe, or area, more than 2000 people received their vaccinations last week, Davies said. This week they hoped to reach more than 9000 arms.

She said the drive-through's efficiency was on par with typical vaccination centres, but feedback from iwi following Feilding’s drive-through launch was that Māori and Pasifika were hesitant to sit in waiting rooms. This was mitigated by allowing them to stay in their vehicles.

“The bulk of our Māori community are under 45. We're starting our conversations and talking about how to attract Māori youth.”

While the vaccination sites across the country were following alert level 4 rules, Davies hoped as the region moved down levels they could create a community environment at the centres with music, kai and maybe even a bouncy castle to encourage Māori and Pasifika families to get their vaccinations.