Letters to the editor: How to bring the team of 5 million back together

Requiring unvaccinated people to take regular Covid-19 tests could help bring the team of 5 million back together, writes a reader. Photo / George Novak

I have a constructive suggestion that could potentially avoid job losses, future protests, segregation of the vaccinated vs non-vaccinated and extreme stress and distress in an already stressful situation caused by the Delta outbreak.

For those adults living in New Zealand who are unwilling to be vaccinated, there could be the option of having a weekly or twice weekly Covid test.

Proof of a negative result could be shown to employers and used for access to gatherings and businesses, to allow access to the same privileges as the vaccinated population.

While the logistics may not seem practical, the virus in our community is far from practical.

The advantage of Covid testing for the unvaccinated means that job loss is avoided, plus segregation of people or families, while allowing free travel across regions.

Although inconvenient for the non-vaccinated, their Covid status would be more closely monitored and they could pose less of a risk of transmission.

Testing the non-vaccinated who accept this alternative action could also reduce anxiety among the vaccinated vulnerable population. In addition, businesses would not lose some of their customers and non-vaccinated parents would be able to walk into their own child's school.

Offering people who are not willing to be vaccinated an alternative could mean everyone is on board again to work together as a team of 5 million and together help to reduce virus spread.

People who are being punished are not likely to play their part in managing this Delta outbreak.

This is not a plea for myself, but for those non-vaccinated adults that I know personally.

Ruth Kenyon-Slade
Ōtumoetai

Teachers have a choice

I agree with a previous letter writer (Letters, November 4) that the vocal minority of anti-vaxxers are putting the rights of the majority at risk.

The lead article of the same newspaper made disturbing reading and highlighted that some local schools may face teacher shortages with some refusing to be vaccinated in spite of the mandate coming into effect later in the month(News, November 4).

Therefore, some schools in the BOP may face teacher shortages.

One would expect that educators would be able to distinguish between science and fiction. In addition, one would expect they would be willing to be vaccinated in order to protect their vulnerable pupils, as contracting Covid-19 can be a matter of life and death.

If some teachers choose not to be vaccinated, then they can choose employment where they are not putting vulnerable people at risk.

Meg Butler
Pāpāmoa Beach

Brush the teeth you wish to keep

I have been thinking. There is an old saying – brush the teeth you wish to keep ­– the rest will rot and need constant repairing eg fillings, capping and repairing for the rest of your life - at your cost.

Let us apply this system to Covid. Get the jab and the taxpayer will look after you for the rest of your life. Do not get the jab and you catch Covid, the cost to make you better will be yours for the rest of your life.

Come on Tauranga, Get the jab, it could prevent you catching Covid, but if you do get it, we taxpayers will help you to recover.

Bob Clarkson
Tauranga

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