The first death of a child with Covid-19 in New Zealand has prompted calls for Mori children to be prioritised in the next stage of the vaccine roll out.
The youngest New Zealander to die with Covid was a Mori boy who died last week at the age of 10. New Zealand records all deaths of people considered active Covid cases, so it is not certain if Covid-19 was the cause of the boy's death. Since the start of the Pandemic, 49 Covid-positive people have died in the country. 32% of all Covid-19 related deaths have been accounted for by Mori.
New Zealand is one of the most vaccine free countries in the world, but the rates for Mori and Pasifika are still low. The Ministry of Health says that 85% of Mori are double-vaccinated. These groups make up 75% of Covid cases.
The government has been criticized for not giving priority to Mori in its vaccine roll out. Now is the time to do right by those communities, health experts say, with the approval of the vaccine for children 5-11 years old.
Six health experts said that the current Mori vaccine inequities are the result of structural racism and inequity.
The group said the government's roll out for the adult population focused too much on age and pre-existing conditions, failing to take into account the younger age structure of the Mori population, the greater burden of Mori disease, and the significant barriers for Mori accessing
32% of Mori are under the age of 15 years old, compared with 19.6% of the total population. Fewer Mori are eligible for vaccine because of their younger age structure.
Mori health and community leaders have advocated for strategies to prevent inequalities since the start of the Pandemic and now it is important to listen to them.
The people who understand the communities are the ones who are most knowledgeable. They know how to reach families.
She said that Mori children have a higher burden of pre-existing conditions. If you design a vaccine roll out that doesn't specifically reach those families who are hardest to reach, you will end up with an inequitable vaccine roll out.
There were over 300 Covid cases in children nine years and under in the week leading up to Friday. Russell said that the vast majority of children don't become unwell, but there is evidence that the Omicron variant is reproducing more efficiently in younger age groups, which poses an ongoing risk to the health of Mori communities.
Russell said that one of the best ways to enable vaccinations at schools would be to give significant resourcing to Mori community and health organizations before the roll out begins.
Russell said that it was important for families to know that their child wouldn't be shot without their consent, but by making vaccines available at schools, everyone could get the vaccine easily.
New Zealand has reported 13,125 Covid cases since the start of the Pandemic, with 10,289 of those from the current outbreak. Weekly case numbers are beginning to trend downwards as the country's vaccination rates continue to climb and public health measures prevent unvaccinated people from attended some venues or gathering in large groups.
The country reported a second probable death related to the vaccine. A post-mortem found myocarditis to be the probable cause of death for a man who died within two weeks of his first dose of the Pfizer vaccine. The man did not seek treatment for his symptoms after he received his vaccine.
The board noted that Covid-19 can cause myocarditis and other serious illnesses, and that it remains safer to bevaccinated.
