Community Engagement Report for developing a National Action Plan Against Racism Māori and Pacific communities disproportionately affected Subsequent outbreaks linked with the border disproportionately affected Māori and Pacific communities, particularly those working at the Auckland airport and in other essential services located in South Auckland. In the August/ September 2020 outbreak, ethnic inequities became more apparent. With most cases originating from community transmission in workplaces, public transport and in households, a higher proportion of cases occurred among Māori and Pacific communities. The prevalence of communal and multigenerational living in sometimes sub-standard housingxii was a risk factor in the higher number of cases within Pacific communities, further compounded by poorer access to healthcare and greater risks of clinically severe outcomes.xiii In October 2021, a Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency took the Ministry of Health to the High Court and successfully argued that vaccination data was essential to save Māori lives. The Government has since worked more closely with community leaders and with Māori and Pacific health providers, which helped lift the vaccination rates in both communities. Pacific communities have a higher double-vaccinated rate than NZ Europeans. However, due to factors such as delays in working collaboratively with providers; and the impact of vaccine mis- and dis-information, which targeted groups who already distrust government; vaccination and booster rates for Māori and Pacific children are lower than those for New Zealand European and Asian groups. Similarly in the Delta outbreak in August 2021, Māori and Pacific health experts predicted that the impacts of the virus, combined with a loosening of COVID-19 restrictions, would negatively add to the longstanding housing crisis and racial inequities. This meant that by October 2021, 83% of infections in the Delta outbreak were Māori and Pacific New Zealanders, who combined only make up 27% of the total population. Several expert commentators expressed concern that the move away from a successful elimination strategy in late 2021 was premature, leaving vulnerable Māori and Pacific communities exposed to infection before vaccination rates could be lifted.xiv Māori and Pacific communities initially experienced a disjointed approach to the vaccine roll-out. Dedicated Māori and Pacific health providers, however, used the strength of their relationships and innovation to mobilise their communities to get vaccinated. They launched walk-in bookings for the whole whānau (instead of age-related bookings) and ensured people could navigate the booking system and, in the case of Pacific communities, get access to language support. New Zealand Human Rights Commission 29