Listen Now: 
March 10, 2022
Vaccine gap catches out Māori in Omicron surge
Adam Gifford
Posted On March 10, 2022
Download AudioLower vaccination rates among Māori are making their impact felt in rising case numbers.
Data analyst Dr Rawiri Taonui says Māori cases declined in December faster than any other ethnic group but picked up again in the new year once Omicron hit.
While the gap in boosters and tamariki vaccinations is closing, it is being slowed by the fact that many Māori are looking after their whānau in isolation.
“There is 63.7 per cent of the total Māori population that is vaccinated, We still have over 300,000 Māori who are not vaccinated. Our cases are likely to keep increasing and we probably are going to have a long tail in terms of those cases,” he says.
Dr Taonui says reopening the schools in February was a big mistake, as it led to the increased spread of Omicron to tamariki and their whānau.
RELATED NEWS
