King Tuheitia has challenged all whānau to have a plan to deal with Covid
King Tuheitia challenged all whānau to have a plan in place to deal with the spread of the delta virus now that it has crept into our region.
The request from the King came at the same time 56 new positive cases of Covid-19 were recorded in Auckland at the weekend, the highest since 1 September including another three in Waikato. The single positive test in Katikati, Bay of Plenty has been retested and the result has come back negative.
King Tuheitia, who has pre-existing health issues that make him susceptible to COVID, called an urgent Zoom meeting with more than 350 marae beneficiaries. His message was simple. Based on the advice of health experts, the only pathway through this COVID pandemic is to vaccinate our way to a level that slows down the infection and fatality rate. King Tuheitia has put out a call for individual whānau to take responsibility for each other because we have all witnessed, the rate at which Covid-19 is infecting New Zealanders and the majority are unvaccinated.
The King’s request applies to whānau clusters that make up our hapū and groups of hapū that make up our individual iwi. “Step up, mask up, be publicly distanced at all times and get our people vaccinated,” was his plea. He also highlighted the role and responsibility of individual marae to support their beneficiaries to get vaccinated. “We need a multi-pronged strategy that starts at home with our own whānau”. King Tuheitia reminded everyone that those who have had their 2 vaccinations now have a level of protection from succumbing to COVID that the unvaccinated don’t have. He confirmed, “It is this group, the unvaccinated, who are quickly becoming the demographic most susceptible to this fatal pandemic; which is why we need to encourage ALL of our family members to get vaccinated."
At the end of last week, a pop-up testing and vaccination site was based on Maketu marae, moving to Tahāroa and Marokopa for a day and then back to Kāwhia. The eight Kāwhia Moana marae worked alongside health providers Raukura Hauora, staff from Waikato District Health Board and local representatives from the Kāwhia Community.
Spokesperson, Cathrine Holland reported, “Last week, we saw how quickly our health providers were able to mobilise and get testing and vaccinations underway at Maketū marae in Kāwhia. Our thanks and appreciation to the health providers including local Kāwhia GP Dr John Burton who mobilised immediately on Wednesday afternoon as soon as the positive case was discovered in Kāwhia. 24 hours later on Thursday 8 October the rest of our health providers were on route to Kāwhia and set up at Maketū Marae by 10 am to deal with the cavalcade of waka lined up at the marae for tests and vaccinations."
Similarly, the next day Friday 9 October, on the other side of the harbour, Cath confirmed Raukura Hauora o Tainui's mobility unit was in Tahāroa and Marokopa to vaccinate our whānau on the west coast.
“A stop off in Ōpārau and then our mobile unit was back in Kāwhia to join up with the DHB team at Maketū marae on Saturday 10th. The results of three days of hard work speak for themselves.”
Tamati Peni headed the DHB team, and he has confirmed, in total, Raukura Hauora o Tainui and the Waikato DHB swabbed and tested 297 locals. Raukura Hauora o Tainui has since confirmed there were no new cases of Covid-19. 210 of those tested were Māori, 3 Pacific and 80 others.
Cath acknowledges, “The magic and success of this local intervention was the urgency and focus by which the two teams travelled all the way to Kāwhia Moana to test and vaccinate the locals. We are indebted to these committed frontline staff. Ka nui te mihi.”
“In total, 136 vaccinations were administered across the 3 days around the Kāwhia harbour, 53 first dose and 83-second dose. 89 Māori vaccinated 45 Europeans and 2 Asians vaccinated. Of the 89 Māori vaccinations, 29 were first dose and 60-second dose. 65% of all vaccinated over the three days were Māori. The highest vaccination rate of Māori occurred in Tahāroa at 86%."
Cath reinforces the extent to which our 8 marae around the harbour were an integral part of the coordinating group that worked alongside the DHB and Raukura Hauora staff, fulfilling the encouraging message and request King Tuheitia delivered to whānau yesterday.
She confirms that Ngā Marae o Kāwhia Moana is now working with health providers to put together a profile of vulnerable families around the harbour who can be supported by a coordinated and targeted response to fight the pandemic.
In order to support whānau through the difficult times of ongoing COVID lockdowns, Nga Marae o Kāwhia Moana is operating a Foodbank, temporarily based on Maketu Marae until permanent accommodation can be found in Kāwhia, supported by government funding and contributions from Waikato Tainui.
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