COVID-19: Doctors use TikTok to help Pasifika families in isolation, spread vaccination message

Families transferred into MIQ often need support.
Families transferred into MIQ often need support. Photo credit: Photo: RNZ

RNZ

A group of doctors have hit the phones to support Pasifika families who have tested positive for Covid-19 and been transferred into managed isolation. 

The chairperson of the Royal New Zealand College of GPs' Pasifika chapter, Monica Liva, said about half the people infected with the virus in Auckland are Pasifika.

She contacted Pasifika doctors who can talk to people in their first language and hear any concerns they might have. 

"It's also to take the load off the MIQ medical team, so that they can focus on the urgent Covid-19 needs," Dr Liva said. 

Dr Liva said she has been heartened by the number of GPs agreeing to help. 

TikTok take-up for vaccines 

The North Island iwi Ngāti Porou have launched a COVID-19 vaccination campaign aimed at rangatahi using the social media platform TikTok. 

The video challenge calls on young people to encourage their whānau to get vaccinated. 

Ngāti Porou's Taryne Papuni said TikTok was a natural first pick to get the message across. 

"That's one of the mediums that they're always on, always on the TikTok or the Instagram. 

"We thought yeah, we can reach a lot of our people, a lot of our young ones that way and hope that the young ones will actually lead for their elders." 

Earlier this week, Ngāti Porou hosted a vaccinations clinic at Te Poho o Rawiri Marae. 

There have also been multiple events on this weekend targeting Pasifika vaccination rates.