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December 01, 2022
Under-reporting masks Covid threat
Peter Verschaffelt
Posted On December 1, 2022
Download AudioThe current Covid surge is likely to be far greater than official notifications indicate, with Māori especially vulnerable.
That’s the word from Rawiri McKree Jansen, the chief medical officer for Te Aka Whai Ora, the Maori Health Authority.
Last week daily case numbers rose to 6000 and there were 60 deaths.
Dr Jansen says during the Omicron wave at best 50 percent of people reported, and the number is now even lower.
He’s urging people to get up to date with their vaccines and boosters, and to mask up in crowded places.
“Especially as we are going into this time when we want to have whanau together, we want to have holiday season and we want to be safe for summer – this is one way to get organised for it right now. Thousands and thousands of people (are) getting Covid and we don’t want to get it,” Dr Jansen says.
Every time people get reinfected with Covid they are put at risk of more serious consequences, particularly if they have high blood pressure, diabetes or kidney problems.
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