With the New Zealand government banning mass gatherings of more than 500 people, doctors in South Auckland say their district - filled with hundreds of churches - is at high risk of a COVID-19 community outbreak.
Dr Maryann Heather, a GP in Otara and a lecturer in Pacific Health at Auckland University says some doctors who can speak Pacific languages have been visiting local churches trying to educate elderly parishioners on how to stay safe during the coronavirus pandemic.
She told First Up's Indira Stewart that restrictions on mass gatherings will be a huge challenge for Pasifika communities and self-isolation will be near-impossible for the many who live in overcrowded houses.
Photo: Public Domain
