NZ’s true ethnic disparities in Covid vaccine coverage remain unclear

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2022-06-22 01:00

New Zealand

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New Zealand researchers have delved into COVID-19 vaccine coverage by ethnicity, finding that different ways of calculating the population size of each ethnic group - i.e. the "denominator" - unevenly affects vaccine rates. The team looked at both census data and health service use data from the Ministry of Health - but found their vaccine coverage estimates didn't entirely square. The team says the health service use data likely overestimates vaccine coverage among younger and marginalised groups as it only captures people who use health services, while the census data may underestimate the size of Pacific sub-groups, thereby underestimating the unvaccinated. The authors say that although true disparities in vaccination remain unclear, Māori and Pacific communities still need to be engaged and supported to boost vaccine uptake.