Fears for Māori as New Zealand opens up amid Omicron wave

A woman receives a vaccine at a drive-through COVID-19 vaccination clinic last year. While the country has achieved a high level of vaccination, Maori remain more at risk than other members of the community [File: Simon Watts/Reuters]

Wellington, New Zealand – New Zealand is one of the most vaccinated countries in the world, with some 93 percent of people over the age of 12 fully vaccinated, according to the latest figures.

But as the country prepares for a wave of Omicron, Māori experts say New Zealand’s response has left the Māori population uniquely vulnerable.