Community-based response to the COVID-19 pandemic: The case of South Asian community in Auckland, New Zealand

This policy brief is based on the survey of the South Asian community living in New Zealand and their coping with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) impact. The findings of this survey may also be useful for other ethnic groups. Understanding the impact of a pandemic on ethnic minority groups is important to better prepare for transition and recovery strategies, and build community resilience.

The brief concludes that capacity building and community cohesion are therefore essential to prepare the population for a possible future re-emergence of the pandemic outbreak. Some policy recommendations include (pp. 4-5):

• Develop a well-functioning data ecosystem to understand outbreak and transmission for ethnicities;
• Research and innovative program;
• Invest adequately in culture-based community preparedness;
• Improve risk communication;
• Encourage neighbour-for-neighbour action;
• Ensure appropriate psychosocial therapy;
• Provide community fund/interest-free micro-credit;
• Increase social cohesion.