Pacific Islanders living in the United States are being diagnosed and hospitalised with COVID-19 at significantly higher rates than people from other ethnic groups.

The US has been significantly impacted by the coronavirus pandemic with over 4.2 million cases and 146,000 deaths so far with thousands of new cases reported every day.

Dr Raynald Samoa is the Clinical Lead for the National Pacific Islander Covid-19 Response Team which comprises task forces from around the United States.  Dr Samoa is a clinical research endocrinologist who received his medical degree from the University of Washington.  He is currently the Assistant Clinical Professor at the City Hope Medical Centre in Duarte, California and is on the line with us now Talofa lava Dr Samoa and thank you very much for taking time out to chat with us.