Efeso Collins: South Auckland mass Covid-19 vaccination event should address 'failure' of rollout for Māori, Pasifika

Early Edition with Ryan Bridge · Jul 14, 2021 · 4m

A mass vaccination event in South Auckland needs to address the failure so far to vaccinate vulnerable groups including Māori, Pasifika, and those in south Auckland, health experts say.

Five months into the vaccine rollout and nearly 1.4 million doses having been administered, the rate of Māori fully vaccinated is more than 40 per cent behind Pākehā per capita.

Pasifika are also about 20 per cent behind, despite both groups being identified as about twice as at-risk from Covid-19 and expert advice they be prioritised.

Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said these reasons, and proximity…