May 25, 2022
Hauora gear up for winter flu surge
South Auckland Māori health provider Turuki Health is preparing for a spike in Covid and influenza cases.
Chief executive Te Puea Winiata expects numbers to rise within the next few weeks.
Open borders mean more viruses coming in, and the lack of a flu outbreak last year because of Covid protection measures means the normal population immunity isn’t there.
“If you’ve had Covid it doesn’t protect you from the flu so it’s really important we are protecting our most vulnerable, particularly our tamariki, our kuia kaumatua, those with underlying conditions, to get Covid (shots) as well as a flu vax this winter,” Ms Winiata says.
The continuing high number of Covid cases who need hospital treatment is a worry for the health sector as influenza cases rise.