December 06, 2023
Covid care compromised by cost of living fears
The chief medical officer of Te Aka Whai Ora says boosters are still the best defence from getting seriously affected in the latest Covid wave.
Dr Rawiri McKree Jansen says the main strain is still Omicron based, so the boosters are still effective.
Hospitalisation rates are starting to go down again, but he says people still need to take precautions like having a RAT test if they feel unwell and staying home if they have Covid – even if some of the support for that has gone.
“We’re asking people to do the right thing and we’re noticing it’s a cost of living crisis – that’s hard for people. So we know some people may really struggle with the idea of having a test, they might think they’ve got Covid and they don’t want to take the test because then they will feel they really shouldn’t be going to work, and aroha for whānau in that position,” Dr Jansen says.
Research is starting on the Māori experience of long Covid, which can show up in increased incidence of heart disease, diabetes and mental health problems.