Covid-19 message from Te Arawa: Get vaccinated to save lives

Friday, 10 September 2021

The vaccine works, Sir Toby Curtis said, and would help stop a repeat of the ‘decimation’ seen a century ago with the Spanish Flu pandemic.

The Te Arawa iwi has issued a collective call to arms to get people vaccinated against Covid-19.

That’s the formal message from Te Arawa as the iwi collectively and formally announced its position on the vaccine.

Te Arawa kaumātua Sir Toby Curtis summed up the message he said Te Arawa wanted to send to all their people: “If you are 12 years or more, we are asking you to book your Covid-19 vaccine today”.

Curtis says the latest outbreak has revealed how delicate Aotearoa’s current defence is, with Māori particularly vulnerable to the virus.

“Only one in five Māori 12 years and over have had two doses of the Covid vaccine, compared to one in three in the general population,” Te Arawa kaumātua Sir Toby Curtis said.

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“Māori are at least 50 per cent more likely to die from Covid-19 than Pakeha and are 2.5 times more likely to need hospitalisation. Only one in five Māori 12 years and over have had two doses of the Covid vaccine, compared to one in three in the general population.

“We have seen evidence from around the world – and Aotearoa – that the vaccine protects people from the risk of severe illness, hospitalisation and death due to Covid-19,” he said.

“Studies continue to prove what we already know - broad community-wide vaccination of all eligible people is critical to helping protect people from both infection and severe illness from Covid-19.

“In short, the vaccine is working to save lives. We do not want to revisit the decimation of the Spanish Flu on our people and our whakapapa. If whānau get vaccinated now, they will help to save lives.”

Te Runanga o Ngāti Pikiao GP and member of Te Roopu Hauora o Te Arawa, Dr Grace Malcolm said the effects of the virus outweigh the risk of any possible vaccine side effects.

“No corners were cut in terms of the safety and scrutiny of the vaccine, which has been Medsafe approved, just like every other vaccination in our country.

“We as Māori are particularly vulnerable to Covid-19, so it’s imperative that we take action now to protect ourselves and our whānau while the threat of the virus remains close,” said Malcolm.

“One day the virus may enter our community. If it does, we need to be confident we have taken every possible action to safeguard our people. We can achieve that by encouraging and facilitating as many people as possible to vaccinate.”

A Te Arawa drive-through vaccination clinic will be held again on Sunday 26 and Monday 27 September, at 33 Clayton Rd (the old Foodstuffs site), to make it even easier for whānau to get vaccinated.

“It is as simple as driving in, registering, receiving your vaccination, resting for 15 minutes and then literally driving out. We’ve had amazing feedback from the clinic last week – there is music, there is dancing, there is laughter – and whānau loved it.”

Whānau can make a booking at the drive-through clinic now on 0800 28 29 26 and quote “Te Arawa” or at bookmyvaccine.covid19.health.nz/ with the access code BHTKHZZY6E.

“But you don’t need a booking to come to the drive-through clinic – people can just drive or walk on up and we will register them on the spot.”

The full declaration, and a list of the hapū and iwi who have put their names to it, can be found here.