For disabled people with sensory impairments, there remains a demand for low sensory vaccination clinics. While it seems that it was common for district health boards (DHBs) and providers throughout the country to offer low sensory vaccination clinics, these were not always well advertised, and some disabled people missed out on the opportunity to have a vaccination in a way that suited them best. A solution offered by several submissions was to increase the number of in-home vaccinations offered, and to make them more widely known. One submitter organisation has raised this directly with the Ministry of Health but at the time they wrote to the Inquiry they had yet to receive a response. There was, however, plenty of praise in the way aspects of the vaccine programme had been run, and particularly regarding the hard work of Māori and Pasifika providers to ensure their communities were supported. This came with the recognition that such vaccination efforts relied on volunteers, or on providing services over and above what they were contracted for: “During the vaccine drives, vaccine centres that were accessible or culturally appropriate were organised by community groups and students (especially Pasifika, Māori, and disabled community groups). While this mahi is extremely commendable… it is not fair for this critical work to fall on community members and voluntary student leaders when it should be the responsibility of TEOs [Tertiary Education Organisations] and government.” (Submission) Masks and exemptions During the Omicron wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, masks have become mandatory in many situations, such as public transport and public indoor spaces, unless there are grounds for an exemption. They are considered an important tool in preventing the spread of Omicron in the community. While official advice doesn’t specify which face coverings should be used as masks, government messaging has indicated some masks (such as medical masks and P2/N95 particulate respirators) to be more effective than others. For some disabled people, having the ability to use masks and require others to wear masks around them provides a great deal of comfort, while others are unable to use masks or find masks a source of stress, anxiety and discomfort. Submissions provided a range of views on masks, with three main themes emerging around issues in accessing masks, in finding masks that work, and applying mask exemptions: “Many tāngata whai ora cannot afford things like N95 masks and so are reliant on accessing free masks where available and may retain and reuse masks more than the recommended amount.” (Submission) Cost remained a significant barrier to disabled people and their whānau being able to access high quality masks and submissions highlighted the reliance many disabled people have on free masks. But, as with RAT kits, access varied by location/district, and thus still relied on available transportation, or on whānau or friends picking up masks on their behalf. 25