While New Zealand has tough new border measures to protect the Pacific region, experts say Pacific people living here are facing huge risks.
There’s warnings that schools with high Pasifika rolls should be closed and gatherings avoided as the community is medically vulnerable.
Formerly based at the World Health Organisation, Dr Colin Tukuitonga of Auckland University knows about disease.
“I think it could get really bad. If people think they have seen this before then people are mistaken. We really don’t know what will happen,” he told 1 NEWS.
Covid-19 hits those with heart and lung disease and diabetes the hardest.
Nine per cent of Pasifika adults here have been diagnosed with diabetes - the rate nearly three times higher than non-Pacific.
Dr Tukuitonga wants mass gatherings, including church services, stopped.
“I would look seriously at schools at the moment - especially Pacific schools with high rolls. We should think of closing some schools now.”
Meanwhile, Pacific nations are boosting measures.
For example, Fiji is forbidding cruise ships entry this week, banning international events and installing thermal scanners at the airport.
For now, eyes are turned to Auckland’s Pasifika community and preventing a deadly disaster here.
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