Covid-19 Delta outbreak: Pasifika vaccination event aims to push community to 90 per cent

Nurses administering the vaccine on Super Saturday. Photo / Supplied

The Rotorua Pacific Island community is determined to leave no one behind when it comes to vaccination rates.

In fact, the Rotorua Pacific Island Development Charitable Trust wants the community to reach a 100 per cent vaccination rate before the traffic light system begins next month.

According to Ministry of Health data, as of November 23, the Lakes District Health Board only needed to vaccinate 68 more Pacific Islanders to reach a 90 per cent first dose rate and administer 350 second doses to reach a 90 per cent fully vaccinated rate.

After three Rotorua Pasifika vaccination events this year, more than 400 Pacific Islanders have been vaccinated. The fourth event hopes push rates to 100 per cent.

Tomorrow between 2pm and 4pm, the Rotorua Covid-19 Immunisation Hub at Central Mall, in collaboration with the Rotorua Pacific Islands Development Charitable Trust, is hosting vaccinations for the Pasifika community. Mata Mafileo, Rotorua Pacific Islands Development Charitable Trust manager, said: "When we move to a time where some places will only accept vaccinated people, what about our other sisters and brothers?

"We don't want to leave someone behind, we want to move together as a whole and live together as one family."

The Puia family at Super Saturday. Photo / Supplied

With 58 bookings so far for tomorrow's event, Mafileo was confident they would at least reach a 90 per cent first dose rate.

"It's amazing to have people who refused the last event to change their minds and say 'hey, book us in'."

If the Pasifika community does not reach 100 per cent by December, there will be two more events in January and February.

Mafileo and her team have worked hard to encourage vaccinations.

Nurses on Super-Saturday. Photo / Supplied

"We call them just to make sure they understand, [and see] if they have any questions for us to answer."

She explained some Pasifika forest workers had been unable to get vaccinated due to their work schedules.

As she is determined to leave no one behind, Mafileo is going to "organise a vaccinator to go to them".

Mafileo understands "it will take time" for everyone to be ready.

"We kept talking to our people, we kept sharing.

"If you force them, I would say they will never come back, they will never answer your call.

"If you criticise their beliefs, it won't work.

"We want everyone to be included."

Mafileo wanted to thank everyone who was involved in the event. "At the end of the day it's not about us, it's about our people".

Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick (centre) at Super Saturday. Photo / Supplied