Tararua Mayor Tracey Collis warns of vaccination barriers

Tararua District Mayor Tracey Collis says she's worried about the district's low vaccination rates. Photo NZME

Tararua Mayor Tracey Collis is keen to dispel fears in her community after figures showed the district had the lowest vaccine rates in the MidCentral Health area.

As of the week ending October 31, Tararua was at 83 per cent for people having had one dose of the vaccine.

That made the district the lowest in the MidCentral Health rohe with Palmerston North at 92 per cent, Manawatu 89 per cent, Horowhenua 86 per cent and Otaki at 84 per cent.

"It really does worry me that we're the lowest," Collis said.

She was hoping to have discussions with other community organisations as well as MidCentral District Health Board around how the Tararua could provide more opportunities for its residents.

Discussions such as creating opportunities for giving vaccines in the home or in workplaces for people who weren't able to get to local vaccine clinics.

Collis said she also wanted to create opportunities for people to get answers to queries.

"What I'm seeing in the community at the moment is some real division around vaccinations."

She said there were some people in the district who were scared for their children to get the vaccination.

"That's a real fear. It's not being anti."

People needed to be able to make an informed decision without pressure or judgement.

Collis said people also needed to hear the information from trusted voices as opposed to social media.

She understood the fears people had around the vaccine and the wider issue of Covid.

"I don't think there's been enough conversation around long Covid," she said pointing to issues such as long-term health problems which could be life-changing.

Collis wanted to give people the opportunity to be able to ask questions in a non-confrontational way.

"From what I'm seeing, people are really feeling backed into a wall. It's just adding to the anxiety."

She said when she looked at the statistics of how many Covid cases there were currently and how many unvaccinated people were being treated for it as opposed to those who had at least one dose of the vaccine, she could see why there was such a drive for people to get vaccinated.

"I've been to the hospital. I know how busy they are in those wards."

She said a delay in diagnosis for illnesses such as cancer would mean a delay in treatment and would impact their quality of life and their options.

"I don't want to see our hospital system overburdened."

It may not be a matter of if Covid comes into the Tararua community, but when.

"We've had a scare."

Dannevirke District Court was adjourned for a morning last month after concerns about a potential contact with someone who had Covid.

Collis wanted to know what the barriers were for people not getting the vaccine.

"Is it wanting to know more information? Is it access to the vaccination? How can we help because it isn't even about getting to 90 per cent. It's about our wellbeing."

MidCentral DHB Covid 19 Response manager Bronwen Warren said the DHB was working with a range of providers to ensure the vaccine rollout was accessible to everyone in the region.

"This has included working alongside our communities to offer bespoke vaccination clinics in a setting that might be more comfortable for them than a central vaccination site."

Moving the vaccination programme to a more mobile approach had allowed them to reach more remote locations such as stock saleyards and rural businesses, she said.

"We are more than happy to work with other community groups in Tararua to support access to fixed and mobile sites, and discuss specific clinics that meet their needs."

Tararua Health Group is continuing to encourage people to get the vaccine.

Tararua Health Group nurse team leader Michelle Wilson said the group was continuing to work with the DHB, local iwi groups and rural support to assist.

She said they were also doing home visits for high risk patients or those with poor mobility.

Regular clinics were also offered at the Hub in Dannevirke and the stadium in Pahiatua with booked appointments and walk in capacity.