Educating people that the Covid-19 vaccine roll-out was not "two and done" is the focus of Marlborough health staff as they try to lift booster shots, particularly for Māori and Pasifika populations.
Te Kotahi o Te Tauihu kaiwhakahaere (chief executive) Dr Lorraine Eade says planning for kaupapa Māori vaccine clinics in Marlborough are underway. Photo: Scott Hammond / Stuff / Supplied
Marlborough Primary Health Organisation chief executive Beth Tester said this week, about 2500 boosters were being administered at the Henry St vaccination centre and in pharmacies every week.
On a good day, 400 to 500 people were getting their boosters at Henry St.
But she said they needed more Māori and Pasifika to come forward, as uptake was currently tracking behind other ethnicities.
Manu Ora mātanga rata (general practitioner) Dr Sara Simmons said the booster roll-out would require getting clear information to Māori about why it was important.
"We've done the hard work in getting the vaccination rates for the first two," Simmons said.
"What's been shown with getting those vaccination rates up, is if people do have good information, then generally they are able to make good decisions."
She said over the Christmas and New Year period, people probably had "other things on their mind" but now the focus had to be back on making sure whānau were as protected as they could be.
"From what we've noticed at our practice, it's that the rangatahi (youth) age group took their time to get their first two vaccinations, and now, there's another one," she said.
"I think it's about changing the mindset that this was a two and done thing.
"We want people to be protected when the risk is there, and we know it is. There is Omicron in the country already, and it's probably only a matter of time there is a border breach, and it's coming out into the community."
Manu Ora mātanga rata (general practitioner) Dr Sara Simmons says an effective booster roll-out for Māori will require giving people clear information about why it's important. Photo: Scott Hammond / Stuff / Supplied via LDR
Ministry of Health data shows 93 percent of Nelson Marlborough are double vaccinated, and 96 percent have had one dose, as at 12 January.
Rangitāne o Wairau general manager Corey Hebberd and Te Kotahi o Te Tauihu Charitable Trust trustee said he had his Covid-19 booster shot.
"I found the process really straightforward and easy to access, it was painless," Hebberd said.
Hebberd said Rangitāne would be supporting Te Kotahi o Te Tauihu Charitable Trust with the booster roll-out.
Te Kotahi o Te Tauihu Charitable Trust was established in February 2021, as a collaboration between the eight iwi of Te Tauihu (top of the south), to help whānau thrive despite the challenges.
"I guess for us, the booster campaign and anything that's run around it, will draw on what we did in that initial phase in getting that first and second dose," Hebberd said.
"It will be around giving whānau access to information so that they can make good decisions."
Te Kotahi o Te Tauihu pouwhakahaere rauemi (operations manager) Dr Lorraine Eade said planning for 2022 started in 2021, after they recognised that booster shots, the five to 11-year-old roll-out, community-based isolation and quarantine, and the threat of Omicron needed to be addressed.
"We are working closely with our partners which includes Te Piki Oranga, marae and iwi and have developed a communications strategy to help get those key messages out, advertise and promote access to boosters," Eade said.
"This includes mainstream as well as kaupapa Māori clinics. These have already been planned, and we will continue to support those."
Eade thought the holiday season had an impact on vaccinations and boosters, and said she hoped towards the end of January, through to February, the numbers would pick up.
Local Democracy Reporting is a public interest news service supported by RNZ, the News Publishers' Association and NZ On Air.