25 Aug 2021

Pasifika community pulling together as Covid hits them hard

From First Up, 5:52 am on 25 August 2021

Pasifika people account for more than half of cases in the country's current Covid outbreak. The fast-movement of Delta means New Zealand will stay at alert level 4 lockdown until at least midnight on Friday, and Auckland until at least midnight on Tuesday. Director General of Health Ashley Bloomfield revealed yesterday that 58 of the 148 cases in the community are connected to a service at the Assembly of God Church of Samoa in Mangere on Sunday, August the 15th. So once again, New Zealand's Pasifika community has found itself at the centre of a devastating outbreak. Joining Nathan Rarere is Pacific health researcher Debbie Ryan from policy and research consultancy Pacific Perspectives.