Covid-19: Kura kaupapa urged to host vaccination centres as Omicron rises

Wednesday, 9 February 2022

Mana Tamariki have set up a te reo vaccination centre in their kura, helping tamariki and whanau to be at ease as they receive the Covid-19 jab. (First published Jan 2022)

The co-chair for the national body of kura kaupapa Māori (Māori-language immersion schools) is urging all schools to host vaccination centres to protect tamariki as Omicron rises.

On Sunday, Aotearoa registered its highest number of Covid-19 infections in a day since the pandemic began, with 243 new cases reported.

As children returned to school it was imperative that every opportunity was made for them to be vaccinated, Te Rūnanga Nui o Ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori o Aotearoa co-chair Rāwiri Wright said.

So far, following the launch of the paediatric vaccine for 5 to 11-year-olds on January 17, 43 per cent of the general population in that age group had received their first dose.

* As schools reopen, paediatric vaccine rates remain low, principal warns

Te Rūnanga Nui o Ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori o Aotearoa co-chair Rāwiri Wright is encouraging schools to discuss their vaccination options with their local health providers.

* Covid-19: 94 per cent of kura staff have had at least one dose of the vaccine

For tamariki Māori that figure was 24 per cent, according to the Ministry of Health data.

Dr Rāwiri Taonui has been tracking Covid-19 cases among Māori since the pandemic began in Aotearoa in 2020.

Protecting mokopuna and whakapapa was the core focus for Wright and the 63 kura kaupapa that are connected to the rūnanga, he said.

“Te Rūnanga Nui o Ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori o Aotearoa wholly supports vaccination.

“No school can require whānau or tamariki to be vaccinated, but we certainly advocate for them to be vaccinated.”

Figures from data researcher Dr Rāwiri Taonui, who has been following the effect of the pandemic on Māori since 2020, show that tamariki Māori have borne the brunt of the pandemic’s impact on children.

For those under 12, tamariki Māori made up 53 per cent of Covid-19 cases and 63 per cent of hospitalisations.

And as children began to mix at schools, Taonui said it was important that the vaccine was brought to them, even if it meant pushback from those who opposed vaccinations.

Ngā Miro Health Clinic hosts its first paediatric vaccination centre at Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Bernard Fergusson in Ngāruawāhia.

“The vector for increasing cases in the Māori community will come as our tamariki return to school and mix with kids from other communities. Vaccinating low-decile schools with high tamariki Māori enrolments is the only option to alleviate that vulnerability.”

Wright said conversations were being held across Aotearoa with kura about whether vaccination centres were appropriate for their students, and while there were a range of opinions throughout schools and their communities, the first step was to hold wānanga (discussions) to address any concerns they may have.

He wanted to remind kura that they were able to set up vaccination centres at their schools, and that organising one with their local district health board or health provider would not impede on the tino rangatiratanga (autonomy) of the school or the parents of students.

“I remain optimistic and hopeful that people will be able to do this for their tamariki and future generations,” Wright said.

“You just have to reflect on what happened in 1918 [with the influenza outbreak], we don’t want to see a repeat of that.”

Ngāruawāhia-based Māori health provider Ngā Miro Health Clinic set up a vaccination centre at Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Bernard Fergusson on Wednesday after approaching the school last week.

Nurse Lesley Smith said it was important to take the vaccine to the whānau.

“It’s opportunistic. If you go to the people, maybe you might get someone.

“We’ve come prepared in case there’s an adult who thinks maybe I’ll do it as well.”

Smith said all schools should seriously consider creating the same opportunity for their students to help parents protect their children and provide them with the information they need to make an informed decision about vaccination.

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“A lot of people think Omicron is not as bad, it’s just more contagious, but children – especially those who aren’t vaccinated – can get quite sick.

“And then you’ve got the little little ones who can’t get vaccinated at this stage, so those children can still be important in protecting their baby sister or baby brother.”

So far three kura kaupapa had taken up the chance to offer vaccinations to their students on site.

Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Mana Tamariki in Palmerston North held its first reo Māori vaccination centre in January, offering paediatric, primary course and booster vaccinations for whānau in a relaxed te ao Māori environment.

And in Auckland, at Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Hoani Waititi, kaiako (teachers) and former students have been trained to vaccinate students and their whānau.