Latest news with #JackieDavis
RNZ News
14-07-2025
- Health
- RNZ News
Vaccine hesitancy growing in at-risk communities, providers blame social media misinformation
Janice Kuka, left, and Jackie Davis of Ngā Mataapuna Oranga PHO, which has managed to boost immunisation rates in the face of soical media minisformation Photo: Supplied / Janice Kuka A growing number of families living in communities most vulnerable to infectious disease outbreaks are refusing to have their children vaccinated . Immunisation experts fear this worrying trend will make it impossible to reach the government's target of 95 percent coverage by 2030. At Ngā Mataapuna Oranga primary health organisation in Western Bay of Plenty, health workers are not passively waiting for whānau to bring their babies in for vaccination. A manager and kaiwhakahaere, Jackie Davis, said it had managed to boost immunisation rates by 10 percent in the last year through the heroic efforts of nurses, community workers and GPs. "[We've even had] community teams lurking in bushes, waiting to ambush mums coming home from shopping," she said wryly. In a league table of primary health organisations (PHOs) published by Health NZ, Ngā Mataapuna Oranga has the highest decline rate, with 25 percent of families refusing immunisation. As a small PHO, with just four general practices, it only took a handful of families to decline immunisation to drop its rates below target, Davis pointed out. However, she admitted it was up against persistent anti-vaccination propaganda, which spreaded like contagion via social media . "I guess their promotion is just as good as our promotions are, so they counter a lot of the work we do." Nationally, 79.3 percent of two-year-olds were fully vaccinated in the first three months of the year - marginally better than at the same time last year. In some regions however, rates were much lower: Northland had just 66.4 percent coverage, while in Tairāwhiti and Bay of Plenty, it was around 68 percent . Davis said the Covid pandemic damaged trust in the health system and it was taking time to rebuild those relationships. "I think too that we have to balance our attempts at immunisation in relation to our relationships with our families. "To put it bluntly, sometimes we're going two or three times to the same families. And at the end of the day, from their perspective, they're over us." Infectious disease expert professor Peter McIntyre. Photo: University of Otago Infectious disease expert professor Peter McIntyre, from Otago University, said before Covid, decline rates for childhood immunisation were around 5 percent. However, for about one in three PHOs in those Health NZ figures, the decline rate was now more than 10 percent. "This substantial increase in the proportion of families declining, effectively makes that impossible." Unfortunately, vaccine distrust had got a stronger hold among Māori and Pacific communities , which already had more "delayed" immunisations, he said. "What the decline figures are telling is that these are people who are indicating they just don't intend to get their child immunised full stop, which is a development that's really worrying, because decline is a whole lot worse than delay." Full coverage remained a worthy goal, he said. "But if we really have to choose - which maybe at this stage we do - we want to focus on: How good is our protection against measles ? What's that looking like? What do we have to do about it? And maybe whooping cough as well. And meningococcal B." Ngāti Porou Oranga in Tairāwhiti recorded the lowest coverage with just 38.5 percent of two-year-olds fully vaccinated in the first three months of the year. No-one from the PHO was available to comment. Eastern Bay Primary Health Alliance in Bay of Plenty said its figures had improved: 58.4 percent of enrolled tamariki were fully immunised as of 1 July, up from 52.5 percent in the previous quarter. Chief executive Katarina Gordon said however it was also seeing a growing number of whānau "expressing hesitancy or choosing to decline immunisation". "We're seeing a steady increase in vaccine hesitancy particularly among younger parents and caregivers. "Some are actively declining, but many are simply unsure or misinformed. Social media misinformation, past experiences of the health system, and general mistrust all contribute to this hesitancy." Many whānau were living in rural or remote areas, with limited access to transport, housing instability and economic hardship, which meant day-to-day needs often took priority over preventive healthcare like immunisations, she said. Health providers were struggling themselves with limited clinic availability, workforce shortages (especially nurses and outreach staff) and high demand, which meant some whānau faced long wait times or limited options for appointments. "Mobile outreach services help, but capacity is stretched, and funding is not always available and or sustainable." Despite these challenges, Eastern Bay Primary Health Alliance continued to work with its practice network, outreach teams, Hauora Māori partners the National Public Health Service and Te Whatu Ora Health NZ to boost immunisation rates. "We remain committed to ensuring all interactions with whānau are timely, respectful, and culturally safe." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Toronto Sun
08-06-2025
- Climate
- Toronto Sun
Resident of Saskatchewan village threatened by fire posts video of raindrops: 'It was amazing'
Published Jun 08, 2025 • 3 minute read Fire crews near the northern community of Weyakwin, Sask., were doing their best to control wildfires in the area on Saturday, May 31, 2025. Photo by Kayle Neis / Regina Leader-Post CANDLE LAKE — After weeks of being ready to evacuate at a moment's notice due to a wildfire burning just kilometres away, the owner of JD's Mini Golf posted a video of rain falling outside her business in Candle Lake, Saskatchewan. The video included a note for viewers to have the sound on, so they didn't miss the soft patter as the drops fell on the resort village Saturday. 'Amongst everything that's going on right now with the wildfire at our doorsteps, you just needed to be able to back away from that and hear the sound of the rain and what it was bringing to us,' Jackie Davis said in a phone interview on Sunday. 'It was amazing — long time overdue. It was like, over a month since we've had some.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency said all fires in the province received some rain on Saturday, with the Shoe Fire that's been threatening Candle Lake getting 22 millimetres. That's not a lot, but the SPSA said the moisture was appreciated and gives firefighters a small window where they can take the fight directly to the fires while their intensity is lower. The Shoe Fire remained at just under 500,000 hectares in size on Sunday, officials said, and was burning uncontained about 11 kilometres from Candle Lake. 'Things are looking good now. Things could always change. But we're not expecting anything to, any time soon, over the next couple of days,' Bryan Chartrand, executive director of land operations for the SPSA, said during a news conference Sunday. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Elsewhere on the Prairies, the Manitoba Wildfire Service said the province had a low-to-moderate fire danger level Sunday, but the northeast had a high-to-extreme fire danger and that lightning starts were anticipated. One fire in that region, which stretches from Bird River to Bissett, was approximately 203,720 hectares and remained out of control. 'To provide context as to the seriousness and size of the wildfires, the city of Winnipeg is approximately 46,000 hectares in size,' the province's fire bulletin on Sunday said. It added that another fire in Manitoba's northwest that's been threatening the evacuated town of Flin Flon and surrounding communities is now approximately seven times the size of Winnipeg. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Thousands of people remained out of their homes due to evacuation orders in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta over the weekend. Back in Candle Lake, where a voluntary evacuation order has been in effect since late last month, Davis said many people have left and the resort community feels a bit 'scary.' She said the puddles from Saturday's rain had already evaporated. 'The sound and feel of the community is definitely not what it would be for into June. Usually there's lots of people getting excited, looking to come up to the lake for the summer and get into their cabins and campers, ready for that seasonal experience, and it's quiet,' Davis said, adding she's thankful to firefighting crews as well as volunteers. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Read More The Prime Minister's Office said Sunday that Mark Carney had convened the Incident Response Group with ministers and senior officials to address the wildfire situation. In a readout following the meeting, the PMO said the group was briefed on efforts to respond to the fires and support evacuations. It said that included the mobilizing the Canadian Armed Forces to help evacuate Sandy Lake First Nation in Ontario, where a fire was burning about six kilometres away. In northern Alberta where an evacuation area remained in effect over the weekend near the Alberta-British Columbia boundary, the County of Grande Prairie said on its website that hot, dry, and windy conditions were expected to bring 'extreme and unpredictable fire behaviour.' — By Rob Drinkwater in Edmonton World Canada Editorials Sports Columnists
Hamilton Spectator
08-06-2025
- Climate
- Hamilton Spectator
Resident of village threatened by fire posts video of raindrops: ‘It was amazing'
CANDLE LAKE - After weeks of being ready to evacuate at a moment's notice due to a wildfire burning just kilometres away, the owner of JD's Mini Golf posted a video of rain falling outside her business in Candle Lake, Saskatchewan. The video included a note for viewers to have the sound on, so they didn't miss the soft patter as the drops fell on the resort village Saturday. 'Amongst everything that's going on right now with the wildfire at our doorsteps, you just needed to be able to back away from that and hear the sound of the rain and what it was bringing to us,' Jackie Davis said in a phone interview on Sunday. 'It was amazing — long time overdue. It was like, over a month since we've had some.' The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency said all fires in the province received some rain on Saturday, with the Shoe Fire that's been threatening Candle Lake getting 22 millimetres. That's not a lot, but the SPSA said the moisture was appreciated and gives firefighters a small window where they can take the fight directly to the fires while their intensity is lower. The Shoe Fire remained at just under 500,000 hectares in size on Sunday, officials said, and was burning uncontained about 11 kilometres from Candle Lake. 'Things are looking good now. Things could always change. But we're not expecting anything to, any time soon, over the next couple of days,' Bryan Chartrand, executive director of land operations for the SPSA, said during a news conference Sunday. Elsewhere on the Prairies, the Manitoba Wildfire Service said the province had a low-to-moderate fire danger level Sunday, but the northeast had a high-to-extreme fire danger and that lightning starts were anticipated. One fire in that region, which stretches from Bird River to Bissett, was approximately 203,720 hectares and remained out of control. 'To provide context as to the seriousness and size of the wildfires, the city of Winnipeg is approximately 46,000 hectares in size,' the province's fire bulletin on Sunday said. It added that another fire in Manitoba's northwest that's been threatening the evacuated town of Flin Flon and surrounding communities is now approximately seven times the size of Winnipeg. Thousands of people remained out of their homes due to evacuation orders in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta over the weekend. Back in Candle Lake, where a voluntary evacuation order has been in effect since late last month, Davis said many people have left and the resort community feels a bit 'scary.' She said the puddles from Saturday's rain had already evaporated. 'The sound and feel of the community is definitely not what it would be for into June. Usually there's lots of people getting excited, looking to come up to the lake for the summer and get into their cabins and campers, ready for that seasonal experience, and it's quiet,' Davis said, adding she's thankful to firefighting crews as well as volunteers. The Prime Minister's Office said Sunday that Mark Carney had convened the Incident Response Group with ministers and senior officials to address the wildfire situation. In a readout following the meeting, the PMO said the group was briefed on efforts to respond to the fires and support evacuations. It said that included the mobilizing the Canadian Armed Forces to help evacuate Sandy Lake First Nation in Ontario, where a fire was burning about six kilometres away. In northern Alberta where an evacuation area remained in effect over the weekend near the Alberta-British Columbia boundary, the County of Grande Prairie said on its website that hot, dry, and windy conditions were expected to bring 'extreme and unpredictable fire behaviour.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 8, 2025. — By Rob Drinkwater in Edmonton Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
