Rhythm and Vines festival 2021 presents an unnecessary risk to the Tairāwhiti community given the current Covid-19 Delta outbreak. Over 20,000 people from all around New Zealand come to Gisborne for Rhythm and Vines. A number of these will be be coming from areas where Covid-19 is already present.  This presents a significant risk of Covid-19 entering Tairāwhiti.  Our low vaccination rate, high proportion of Māori, and limited healthcare and accommodation resources to deal with Covid-19 make our community especially vulnerable.

Māori represent over half our population and have proven to be at greater risk of hospitalisation for Covid-19.  Our rural populations have very limited access to healthcare and Gisborne Hospital has only 3 ventilators available.

Our vaccination rate for Covid-19 is currently the lowest in the country with only 61% of the eligible population fully vaccinated. Even if those attending Rhythm and Vines are fully vaccinated, they can still transmit the virus whilst visiting our community.

MIQ facilities around Aotearoa are already at capacity.  It's very unlikely there would be any suitable venues for MIQ facilities in Gisborne given the severe housing shortage currently in Tairāwhiti.

Furthermore, supply issues due to Covid-19 in other areas are already evident in local supermarkets, without the influx of 20,000 additional people that Rhythm and Vines brings to town.

Risks of allowing Rhythm and Vines to go ahead, far outweigh the benefits to the Tairāwhiti community.  The threat to our vulnerable community is too great to allow Rhythm and Vines to go ahead this year and we urge you to cancel it.