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Vaccinated youth key to Covid-19 freedom

Aaron Leaman aaron.leaman@stuff.co.nz

Pushing Waikato’s vaccination rates above 90 per cent requires young people to get the jab en masse – a feat that’s proved challenging overseas.

The Government this week released modelling which shows how much different vaccination rates would protect New Zealand. A successful vaccination programme is seen as crucial to shifting the country away from using harsh lockdowns to control Covid-19 outbreaks.

On present numbers, about 70 per cent of Waikato’s eligible 12-plus population has had one Pfizer dose, while 37 per cent has received two jabs – well below campaigners target of 90 per cent plus coverage.

Auckland University professor Nikki Turner, medical director of the Immunisation Advisory Centre, said Waikato and the country have a ‘‘good chance’’ of achieving 90 per cent plus vaccination coverage among older people by the end of the year.

Getting young people to agree to the jab, however, could prove more challenging.

‘‘I think the population group that’s harder to achieve this for is younger and midlife adults because a lot of them are healthy, they don’t go regularly to a general practice, and they don’t have to engage often with health services,’’ Turner said.

International experience has also highlighted the challenges of getting young people vaccinated.

‘‘What New Zealand is trying to do, and I applaud, is exploring all sorts of ways, lots of creative solutions, to make it easier for people to get vaccinated,’’ Turner said.

On Saturday, Kı¯ngi Tu¯ heitia will open a vaccination clinic at the Hopuhopu Sports Ground as part of a wider push to get Ma¯ori

vaccinated. This week, the Ma¯ori king issued a statement, together with Sir Tumu Te Heuheu and Tumuaki Anaru Thompson, calling on Ma¯ori to get vaccinated against Covid-19.

‘‘This is an important step in ensuring our reo, our tikanga and everything about being Ma¯ ori stays here for generations to come,’’ the leaders said.

Those getting vaccinated at the Hopuhopu event will get a $20 petrol voucher and go into a draw to win a trip to Rarotonga valued at $5000, as well as other prizes.

Lady Tureiti Moxon, who chairs the National Urban Ma¯ ori Authority, said vaccination efforts targetting Ma¯ ori have to be nimble and creative. Work also has to be done to counter vaccine misinformation spread on social media.

‘‘There is still a lot of fear around the vaccine because of those conspiracy theorists. Our young people are online, and they pick it up there,’’ Lady Tureiti said.

‘‘We also have to give people a reason to get vaccinated beyond themselves.

‘‘It’s not just about me protecting myself. I’m doing this for a greater good, for my future generations, my whakapapa, for my wha¯ nau and for my grandchildren.’’

Clinical immunologist Dr Maia Brewerton said it’s clear higher vaccination rates will allow the country more freedoms and lower the risk of the country’s health system being overwhelmed in the event of a Covid-19 outbreak.

Contact tracing and people self-isolating when unwell will continue to be important measures, even when a community achieves a high vaccination rate. There will also be ‘‘a time and a place’’ for masks, such as when a person is in a confined space with others, Brewerton said.

One of the most powerful strategies people can use to encourage others to get vaccinated against Covid-19 is to share their own immunisation story.

‘‘It really resonates with the people that know you, and there is a body of literature that tells us the most important influence actually comes from family and friends,’’ Brewerton said.

‘‘I do want people to understand that they can play a role beyond just getting the vaccine themselves. It might be sharing your story, it might be giving someone a ride, it might be helping them get information about the vaccine. All these things, if we do it together, can help us achieve a high vaccination rate.’’

Hamilton mayor Paula Southgate said the city council is exploring ways its staff can support the Waikato DHB in its vaccination campaign.

Southgate has shared her experience of getting the Pfizer vaccine and encourages others to get vaccinated. She experienced a sore arm and a mild headache after her second dose, all of which were preferable to getting Covid-19.

‘‘We need to dispel any fears that people have that the vaccine is not safe, because clearly what is not safe is getting Covid19,’’ she said.

Auckland University associate professor and vaccinologist Helen Petousis-Harris said achieving high vaccination rates in Waikato will require health officials to understand the different reasons why some people are reluctant to get the jab.

Barriers to people accessing the vaccine, such as a lack of transport, also need to be overcome.

There isn’t a lot of evidence to suggest incentives, such as prizes and money, persuade people to get vaccinated. Small rewards, however, can prove effective.

‘‘Some people get a buzz out of a lollipop. For me, I quite like a coffee,’’ Petousis-Harris said.

Waikato Times Weekend

en-nz

2021-09-25T07:00:00.0000000Z

2021-09-25T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://fairfaxmedia.pressreader.com/article/281655373221439

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