As more patients with flu and Covid-19 end up in hospital, Taranaki health providers have amplified their plea for people to get vaccinated.
More than half the patients in Taranaki hospitals with serious respiratory illness over the past three weeks had flu, and a fifth had Covid.
The Covid risk remained highest for Māori and Pāsifika, who were being hospitalised with the virus at double the rate of others and dying at a younger age.
Cases and hospital admissions are increasing week on week, said Gill Campbell, the interim district director of Te Whatu Ora Taranaki (previously the DHB).
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Campbell said most people could stay out of hospital with vaccination.
“The majority of patients being admitted to hospital with the flu are very sick with Influenza A H3, including three people needing ICU care.” said Campbell.
“This is one of four strains included in the 2022 flu vaccine… getting the flu jab is quite literally the best protection we have against contracting this serious illness.”
The over-65s are at higher risk and some 70 percent of them have had a flu vaccine this year, leaving nearly 30 percent partially vaccinated, or unvaccinated.
Fifty-three people in Taranaki have died with Covid-19 – seven aged between 50 and 69, 10 in their 70s, 18 in their 80s and 18 aged 90 and over.
Taranaki Māori and Pāsifika are dying with Covid at a younger age: for those aged 50 to 69, their average age at death was 60.2 years, whereas non-Māori deaths were at an average of 68.5 years.
For Māori and Pāsifika aged over 70 years the average age at death was 82.6 years, compared to 87 years for non-Māori.
Campbell said some people were not testing for Covid, were reporting RAT tests late, or not reporting them at all – and therefore not getting timely medical and social support.
“Instead they are getting so sick they are needing avoidable medical intervention, putting pressure on our stretched health services.”
Dr Catherine Jackson, Te Whatu Ora Taranaki medical officer of health, said using more layers of protection would minimise the spread of respiratory illnesses.
“Particularly vaccinations, but also mask wearing, washing your hands, social distancing and staying home from work and school if you’re māuiui [sick].”
“With [Covid] cases continuing to increase in New Zealand, we’re heading towards a second Omicron wave, so being fully vaccinated and boosted is especially important.”
Second boosters are available to everyone aged 50 years and over; for health, aged care and disability workers aged 30 years and over; and for high-risk groups.
The flu vaccine is free for people aged 65-plus, Māori and Pāsifika aged 55-plus, children aged 3 to 12, people with certain medical conditions, and people with serious mental health and addiction needs.
Jackson said immunising children reduced their risk of getting it, and cut the chance of them passing it on to whānau, which also protected infants, older whānau, and those with pre-existing illnesses.
Pinnacle GP leader Sam Smith said the network of general practice doctors fully supported the calls for vaccination and continued mask wearing.
“In the last month we have seen schools experience huge absences due to Covid-19 and flu and this of course has had a flow-on effect on our practices.”
“All of this illness is additional to their usual workload, and with the flu due to peak in the coming weeks, the pressure on general practices is really mounting.”
Vaccinations for flu and Covid-19, as well as for Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) are available from GPs, pharmacies, Māori health providers, the vaccination centres in New Plymouth and Hāwera, or one of the Winter Wellness Clinics happening in communities throughout Taranaki.
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