September 29 2021
There are a "sobering" 45 new Covid cases in the community today, including 12 unlinked 'mystery' cases. All of today's cases are in Auckland.
The highly contagious Delta variant of Covid-19 is "seated" in Auckland's gang communities and among rough sleepers, the Ministry of Health has told MPs today.
"If we think about the current outbreak, how it seems to have seated itself in a gang environment and the homeless, these are people thatare less likely to be trusting of the health system," pacific health director Gerardine Clifford-Lidstone said at today's online select committee briefing on the Government's response to Covid-19.
"Finding people within these communities that can promote the vaccine will be very important," she told MPs.
"These are things we've started to work on."
Meanwhile it has emerged today that a person infected with Covid-19 was at an Auckland shopping complex two days ago.
Last week it was revealed a prospect for the Hells Angels had contracted Covid-19, the third gang in Auckland to be affected by the virus.
The positive test followed a patched member of Black Power becoming infected and spreading it to children living in his home just outside Kaiaua on the Hauraki Plains.
The tiny settlement was subject to a Section 70 order imposed by director general of health Dr Ashley Bloomfield which forced residents into a snap lockdown.
Health officials had earlier revealed several members of the Mongrel Mob had also caught the virus, with those living at a South Auckland gang pad forced into isolation after a young woman discharged herself from Middlemore Hospital and returned there while awaiting a Covid swab result. She tested positive.
Yesterday Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said a South Auckland boarding house that provided transitional housing was the focus of a new sub-cluster as cases emerged among residents.
Clifford-Lidstone said the community could be broken down into three groups: people who are committed to getting the Covid-19 vaccine, a group that is undecided so they need to have "trusted people" they can go to with concerns, and a group that is "reluctant".
"This is a group we need to put more work into, probably put some investment into people that they trust," she said.
The committee also discussed how a small group of religious leaders among the Pacific community are promoting anti-vaccination messages, with some arguing that it was about "individual right".
Minister for Pacific Peoples Aupito William Sio said they are "fixated" on it and are using social media to promote their ideology. "I don't have time for them," he told the committee.
"Throw that stuff away, block it, delete it, don't bother passing it around."
Sio said the vaccine is about protecting everyone's right to life.
Hon. Aupito Willaim Sio at the 'Busifika Vax' bus launch. Photo / Michael Craig
No one can change the mind of an anti-vaxxer, Clifford-Lidstone said, but work can be done with people "that think they are anti vaxxers, but are not really, they just need more information".
A patched member of Black Power caught Covid-19 and then spread it to children living in his home just outside Kaiaua on the Hauraki Plains last week.
A prospect for the Hells Angels became infected. A Herald source confirmed the Auckland chapter prospect of the Hells Angels, Brentwood Ave, was taken to the quarantine facility at Jet Park.
