Covid 19 coronavirus: Northland Pasifika community urged to get tested

Alice Benzi-Uale and Christina Kupa-Wichman, Fale Pasifika Te Tai Tokerau's Covid-19 response team members with food parcels to distributed to Pacific families hit by the virus. Photo / Susan Botting

A Northland Pasifika leader's calling on his people to urgently step up for Covid-19 testing in the wake of the pandemic's New Zealand resurgence this week.

"Make sure you go and get tested even if you have only a slightest symptom," Johnny Kumitau, Fale Pasifika Te Tai Tokerau co-chairman said.

"And do so as soon as possible if you get any symptoms, don't wait."

There are eight testing stations around the region. Those who lived in rural areas could also access mobile Covid-19 tests available through Northland District Health Board Māori health providers. Testing is free at local GP clinics.

"It's for the safety of our Pasifika people and the wider community."

Fale Pasifika Te Tai Tokerau represents the Northland Pasifika community. The 2018 Census recorded 5700 people identifying as Pacific Islanders in Northland.

Kumitau said that figure had dramatically increased since, particularly as more Pasifika from Auckland moved North.

He said Pasifika testing was part of Tai Tokerau doing its bit among the country's team of five million stamping out the new virus resurgence.

Northland's Pasifika community was preparing for new Covid-19 restrictions to extend beyond the end of the week.

It was working towards being ready for extension of the current restriction levels as well as the possibility of increased restrictions up to level 4 – in Auckland, Northland and/or around the rest of New Zealand.

"We're planning ahead for every eventuality."

The Northland Pasifika community's preparedness following the resurgence was be discussed at the organisation's monthly board meeting to be discussed last night. Board members, representing Cook Islands, Fiji, Niue, Samoa, Tonga and Tuvalu, will go back to their respective communities after the meeting as part of each group further developing already-established processes used over the last six months, the messaging delivered in each culture's own language.

Kumitau said the organisation was building on what was in place to deal with Covid-19 as the virus' impacts unfolded from March onwards.

Alice Benzi-Uale,Fale Pasifika Te Tai Tokerau Covid-19 response team member, said wide-ranging support systems that had grown and were still in place from that time would be boosted. These included food parcels and supermarket vouchers as required.

Benzi-Uale said Northland Pasifika communities' connections had strengthened due to Covid-19.

Far North pandemic response work had seen different Pasifika communities locally getting together more often. Taro grown by Tongan community members had been shared. Cook Islands traditional ei-katu flower garland head wear had been made and sold to set money aside for support during hard times such as Covid-19.

Benzi-Uale said other work included young men in Whangārei's Tuvaluan community going fishing and distributing the results to help feed their people.

Covid-19 has brought new ways of linking Northland's Pasifika.

"Times have now changed. There are new ways of communicating," Kumitau said.
Zoom meetings had become the new-look talanoa (discussion).

Benzi-Uale said it was important Northland Pasifika followed official Government Covid-19 directions.

"Follow the protocols, go to official information sources only and don't listen to second-hand information," she said.

The main message for Northland Pasifika was to be prepared. This included making sure families had their own preparedness plans.