Church leaders at centre of largest Covid-19 sub-cluster speak out about racist remarks

Leaders from the south Auckland church at the centre of the largest sub-cluster in the Auckland Covid-19 outbreak have spoken out about the strain it has put on their community, Stuff reveals. Speaking for the Assembly of God Church of Samoa NZ in Māngere, Jerome Mika said while some people had directed vitriol at the church and members of the Pasifika community, he believed most people were understanding of the situation that had played out at the church. He said they had been concerned about how the first case in Devonport was lauded as a “legend for testing” while “a church community who weren’t aware of the variant were then accused of not co-operating”.