Let’s fight back against anti-vaxxers

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

Nobody wants to argue with anti-vaxxers. It's draining and leaves you rocking in a corner with clumps of your own hair between your hands. Not really . . . (maybe slightly).

Recently, I took one for the team (of 5 million) and spoke out against anti-vaxxers, which was like opening a jack-in-the-box loaded with poison darts. I've been labelled a “dangerous individual” (which I will put on my CV) and have newfound notoriety among anti-vaxxers.

Vaccine misinformation is dangerous according to 14 studies from various countries around the world. Over 800 people have been killed as a direct result of misinformation on the treatment for Covid-19.

The World Health Organisation has listed vaccine hesitancy as a top-10 threat to human health.

We should be learning from this pandemic to better prepare for the next one — because there will be more, there always are.

A vaccine will be part of the long-term strategy to get back some normality.

Unfortunately, though, anti-vaxxers exist. Recent research suggests that the anti-vaxxers' way of thinking will dominate in 10 years time. Does that worry you? It probably should.

Science is objective and collective. Science levels things out and provides insight or solutions for all of humanity. This is the way immunisation works. Manaakitanga. Look after each other.

Anti-vaxxers lean heavily to the right. Bodily autonomy and sovereignty appear to be their most important values.

Whilst I agree we should be free to do what we want with our own bodies, women even more so, when it comes to immunisation we must consider the collective.

We need to fight back against anti-vaxxers, not just with evidence but with a kinder way of thinking. Vaccination is not mandatory in New Zealand. Forcing a person to be vaccinated is a violation of rights specific to bodily autonomy. This is supported by international human rights treaties.

But what right could possibly surpass “bodily autonomy”? . . . The right to life. The most fundamental right. If you're not alive, nothing else is really that important, right?

Personally, I am vaccinated because it crosses certain diseases off my list of “things that could kill me”. I want to live as long as possible.

But I also feel pretty good about contributing to the protection of my neighbours and friends.

I believe we have an inclusive culture in Gisborne. Life is better for everyone if we don't think individualistically. Think about the whole village and it will benefit you too.