Letters to the editor: Mass vaccinate or bubble will burst

A person receives the second dose of the Pfizer-BioNtech Covid-19 vaccine. Photo / File

By placing a low priority on vaccinations throughout New Zealand, our Government has created an incredibly difficult problem regarding our travel bubble with Australia.

Until we have a very high proportion of our population vaccinated, we carry a high risk that the bubble will burst. And when it does, it will not be easy to track.

The source will not be from any of our MIQ centres. It will have been roaming free in the community for many days before it comes to light, and will trigger lockdowns again, possibly even back to level 4.

But if the bubble is not opened, many areas of our economy continue to suffer.

Surely the Government should have had the foresight to realise this.

I do not understand why we have been allowed to drop so far behind the rest of the world with mass vaccinations.

Vaughan Chetwynd
Tauranga

Criticism

As a writer and former newspaper editor I would like to take issue with the headline "Fears over safety of jab don't stack up" which features on the World page of the March 17 edition of BOP Times.

Does the person who drafted that headline know something that many hundreds if not thousands of health professionals in Europe don't know about the safety of the controversial AstraZeneca vaccine? (Those health professionals, incidentally, include doctors, epidemiologists and scientists).

A more honest and less judgmental headline would read: "Fears over safety of jab don't stack up, according to the vaccine manufacturer and international regulators".

The same criticism can be made of the article's sub-heading, which reads: "Countries appear to be overreacting with AstraZeneca moves".

Your job is simply to present the news in unbiased fashion, not add your own commentary. I have the same criticism of mainstream news editors and reporters throughout NZ, so please don't take this personally.

Lance Morcan
Pāpāmoa

Thank you

May I express my sincerest thanks to the doctors, nurses and orderlies at the APU and surgical unit at Tauranga Hospital for the care I received during my recent stay there.

Tauranga is indeed fortunate to have such a fine hospital staffed by friendly and dedicated professionals.

Mauri ora.

Colin Reeder
Pāpāmoa

The Bay of Plenty Times welcomes letters from readers. Please note the following:

• Letters should not exceed 200 words.

• They should be opinion based on facts or current events.

• If possible, please email.

• No noms-de-plume.

• Letters will be published with names and suburb/city.

• Please include full name, address and contact details for our records only.

• Local letter writers given preference.

• Rejected letters are not normally acknowledged.

• Letters may be edited, abridged, or rejected at the Editor's discretion.

• The Editor's decision on publication is final. No correspondence will be entered into.

Email editor@bayofplentytimes.co.nz