The MMR vaccine is very effective, but some people have been misled by misinformation about its effects. Photo: Tom Lee / Stuff
A Pacific healthcare provider in Auckland is ramping up efforts to reach people who are not immunised against measles, despite hitting a wall with some families.
There were 17 cases in the current measles outbreak as of Monday.
Sally Dalhousie from The Fono, which had four clinics across Auckland, told RNZ they were about to start sending at least two teams to houses known to have children who had not had their MMR vaccines, six days a week.
Each team had a nurse and a vaccine administrator, who could provide a vaccination if a person wanted it.
She said it was crucial to target Pacific families in this outbreak.
"Pacific children tend to end up in hospitals at high rates, especially under two years old. They are very vulnerable at that age, and it's really difficult for families to see those children suffering. We're really trying to prevent that."
The Fono had been conducting house visits three to four times a week for the past 18 months. In conjunction with similar efforts from other health providers across the country, the Pacific immunisation rate for measles had increased from 68 percent to 82 percent in that time.
Dalhousie said targeted house visits had been the most effective measure in increasing MMR vaccine uptake.
"Often people find it difficult to be able to leave home and bring children in for immunisations. They can't make it to a vaccination drive-thru event or a weekend clinic, they may have too many children, or not have a vehicle which they can use to bring the children in.
"During house visits, we are also able to offer vaccinations to adults who haven't been vaccinated or who aren't sure if they have been vaccinated, to get as much coverage as we can for the country."
However, she said there was still some hesitancy in the communities they served.
"We know who the families are that are really serious about declining [vaccines]. Initially, there were some aggressive reactions to some of our nursing teams that would turn up at houses. So we do not go into those spaces, but we will give them a call every so often just to try. We aren't giving up on anyone."
She said increasing immunisation rates among Pacific communities, and in general, would require getting those with hard-formed views about vaccines to reconsider.
"It is the really resistant patients who are difficult to persuade, and we accept there always will be a percentage of decliners, which has increased since Covid.
"But we're hoping this outbreak will persuade people that it is safer when we can protect ourselves and our communities better.
"It is been a massive effort and it requires a lot of work, but it can be done. We are looking forward to getting immunisation rates up into the 90s, but we are getting into the hard end of families now."
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