The Pacific community in Auckland needs to be proactive while in phase three of the Omicron response says Auckland Councillor Josephine Bartley.
With Auckland being the largest hotspot of Covid-19 in New Zealand, Ms Bartley said that the difference between the Delta and the Omicron response will depend on the community learning to look after themselves.
Auckland councillor Josephine Bartley encouraging people at the Rally Your Village vaccination event at the Vodafone Events Centre. Photo: Josephine Bartley
"There's been quite a few messages about having an Omicron plan," she said.
"But for Pasifika people there's still a long way to go in terms of having enough food in the house for when they have to self-isolate, understanding how to use the RAT tests, understanding close contacts and understanding when to ask for medical help."
Preparations will also alleviate food bank workers who are struggling to meet the growing demands from families who require food parcels while in isolation.
"I guess some people are being caught off-guard with having to self-isolate," Bartley said.
"Which means they haven't been able to do their shopping or haven't got enough food in the house. But those that can please stock up and allow the food banks to get to those that really need it."
However, urging the Auckland Pacific community to prepare for Omicron is easier said than done according to Buttabean Movement founder Dave Letele.
Dave 'the Brown Butterbean' Letele. a former boxer who started the BBM fitness class. Photo: RNZ / Rowan Quinn
"It's near impossible for us to prepare," Letele said.
"We don't have the money or the resources to go out and buy some shopping to isolate together. I had a family today with 12 people in their home reaching out who all have Covid. How can they be seen to isolate if one person doesn't have it? The whole house has got it."
"Then can they afford to stop working? Are they gonna speak out about it and not work and not have the money coming in? You know, there's a whole host of reasons so it's near impossible for our people to prepare."
"But you know, our people are survivors and we do the best that we can."
New Zealand's Ministry of Health have confirmed that majority of the Pacific cases in New Zealand - approximately 88 percent - are in Auckland, which equates to 38 percent of the cases overall in the region.
Although 98 percent of Pacific peoples ages 12 and over are fully vaccinated, booster uptake is relatively low compared with the rest of the New Zealand population.
Today the Ministry of Health reported 19,566 new cases in the community of which 27 percent of these cases are Pacific peoples.