An email update from John Whaanga, Deputy Director-General, Māori Health Directorate:
August 27th 2021
Kei ngā kaihoe o te waka hauora Māori e whakarewa ana i a tātou ki te Pae Ora, nei au ka mihi ake ki a koutou katoa.
Cabinet has decided that all of Aotearoa will remain at Alert Level 4 until midnight next Tuesday 31 August. From Wednesday 1 September all areas South of Tāmaki Makaurau will move to Alert Level 3. Tāmaki Makaurau and Te Tai Tokerau will remain at Alert Level 4, and this will be reviewed on Monday 30 August. Heoi anō, it is likely Tāmaki Makaurau will stay at Alert Level 4 for a further two weeks.
I know this will be hard for some of our whānau in Tāmaki Makaurau and I want to reassure you that all your hard work and the sacrifices you’ve made are helping to keep our communities safe. We can however take heart in what the Prime Minister said about case numbers. These may be starting to plateau and that’s because our alert level restrictions and tikanga hauora are working. Heoi anā, our job is to keep up the good work so we can bend the curve and then flatten it. Nā reira, kia ū tonu tātou ki ngā tikanga hauora me ngā ture. Stay home, save lives, be kind.
I’ll be providing further kōrero on Monday to let you know what these alert level changes will mean for you and your whānau.
Over 100,000 Māori now fully vaccinated
More than 3.11 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered to date.
Of these, 2 million are first doses and more than 1.1 million are second doses.
Yesterday, we hit the milestone of over 100,000 Māori being fully vaccinated which is amazing news e te whānau.
Heoi anō, as I’ve been saying throughout the week, we still have a long way to go. So please keep encouraging your friends and whānau to book in for their vaccines. It’s safe and it’s free.
Ngāti Kahungunu Whānau Services supporting whānau through COVID-19
It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of our Māori health providers and their mahi, and that I’m hearty Kahungunu, through and through. So today, I wanted to share with you a series of videos featuring kaimahi from Ngāti Kahungunu Whānau Services.
In these videos, kaimahi talk about the mahi they did through the first lock-down to support whānau.
While this mahi isn’t from the latest outbreak, the approach discussed in these videos is just as relevant as ever. That’s because a ‘by-Māori, for Māori’ approach will always work.
I’m incredibly proud of the work our Māori health providers have done and continue to do to keep our people safe. Kei runga noa atu koutou mā.
I’m also keen to share more positive news stories from the frontline, so if you’ve got any, please send them through to me and my team.
Whānau still able to call 111 and access health services
I’ve heard reports that some whānau are calling Healthline instead of 111 for urgencies, including calling for an ambulance. This is an obvious concern due to the delays we’re currently experiencing with Healthline.
I want to remind you and your whānau that health services are still operating safely under Alert Level 4 protocols.
If you need urgent medical assistance for severe symptoms or if you have a serious injury, please call 111.
It is important that anyone who needs care, for any reason, seeks it – kaua e takaroa, do not delay.
Support still available for our whānau
Hei whakamaumahara anō i a tâtou, it is okay to ask for help. As we continue with Alert Level 4 restrictions, there are a range of people and agencies available to help whānau in need. You can find a list of available services and support on the Unite Against COVID website.
The list includes kōrero on accessing food, financial support, animal welfare advice, mental health and addiction support, renting and tenancy advice, and support on family and sexual violence.
Please share this with whānau and friends to ensure our people know what’s available to them.
_____________
Please remind your friends and whānau to get information on COVID-19 and the vaccine from our trusted sources – the Ministry of Health, Unite Against COVID, and Karawhiua channels.
For guidance on protecting yourself and your whānau from COVID-19 misinformation and scams, visit the Unite Against COVID website. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me or my team at: maorihealth@health.govt.nz