How far should we go with mandatory vaccinations? Photo / AP, File
John Roughan is spot on when he states that vaccination is the only way ahead (Weekend Herald, October 2). The target of 90 per cent plus by the end of the year, is difficult but entirely within the Government's grasp.
The Government has already made vaccination mandatory for those working with those who may have picked up an infection overseas, eg. workers in MIQ or at a port or an airport. It should go further. It is difficult to understand why a 90-year-old in aged care should be tended to by someone who is unvaccinated.
Which leaves the bulk of workers in employment, why should workers who are vaccinated work alongside those who haven't bothered?
If an individual is faced with the choice of a vaccination or the loss of a job, most will choose to be vaccinated. Along with other incentives, this will enable a 90 per cent plus vaccination figure in New Zealand.
Out of our wits
Thank heavens for writers of the skill, humour and intelligence of Steve Braunias and Diana Wichtel in these fraught times. Both their pieces (Weekend Herald, October 2) neatly exposed the recent Covid sermon by Sir John Key. As Wichtel said, for high-profile commentators like Key and Paul Henry to insist there's no plan because it isn't the plan they want is tiresome.
Yes there have been mistakes on the Covid management, but we are getting there. We all need to get fully vaccinated, hold our nerve and be spared the cheap politicking and bleatings of the privileged.
David Sanders, Torbay.
Knight unsaddled
Very funny insights on Sir John Key by Steve Braunias and Diana Wichtel (Weekend Herald, October 2).
When the wealthy take to flaunting the comforts of their lifestyles during times of financial crises and in this case during a deadly Covid pandemic, under the guise of how successful and relevant they still are to making policy decisions for New Zealand - for which they will never be held accountable - they stray into lampooning territory.
I would like health experts to be behind any decisions to ease restrictions on lockdowns, not people driven by right-wing business agendas, deliberately obtuse about how many Covid deaths would be acceptable if their plans were put into practice.
Coralie van Camp, Remuera.
Chump change
Claire Trevett is right (Weekend Herald, October 2) when she says that, apart from Jacinda Ardern, there is no one else of substance in the Labour Party. Mind you the same could be said about National. Have we ever had a worse group of politicians?
Just when we really need good governance.
Jock Mac Vicar, Hauraki.
Striped tanlines
John Roughan (Weekend Herald, October 2) says, of the lockdown, "this must be what it feels like to become an institutionalised prisoner". Nothing like it.
Prisoners have means of communicating in person with other prisoners in their bubbles, they have their meals cooked; no worries about shopping; their days planned for them; no problems regarding their pay; medical attention when needed; lots of assistance, (e.g. if they have a fall).
Does a person alone in their home have any of these facilities?
Ailsa Martin-Buss, Glendowie.
Heritage lost
It is absolutely appalling that the beautiful ancient Craigmore House in Herne Bay will soon be bulldozed and replaced with high rise apartments, (Weekend Herald, October 2).
It should have been classed as a heritage building as many such houses are in Sydney, which protects them against any changes without approval, even minor changes inside the house or the front wall near the road needing authorisation first. Why was it not heritage listed long ago?
Murray Hunter, Titirangi.
Capital gains
Covid-19 highlights the luxury afforded the Capital's civil service. Despite pandemic lockdowns job and income security remains intact which augurs well for a rapid recovery for the city's hospitality sector. Not so Auckland, the bastion of private business and enterprise yet devastated by New Zealand's most stringent Covid restrictions and served by a hospitality industry reeling, confronting elusive catch-up.
Wellington's burgeoning bureaucracy will further expand with the proposed centralisation of District Health Boards, Three Waters proposal and polytechnic administration. This in the belief centralised government management will secure efficiencies, a suggestion which may prove erroneous.
P J Edmondson, Tauranga.
Blooming pest
The "Pic of the Week" photograph (Weekend Herald, October 2) with the caption, "Spring has arrived with flowers blooming in the Auckland Domain", is an indictment on Auckland Council's green space management. The "spring flower" is a turf weed called arctotheca calendula, also known a Cape daisy, which originates from Cape Province, South Africa. It is an absolute pest whose leaves form large rosettes up to 50cm wide which kills the grass beneath. Sadly, it is also spreading through Mt Maunganui.
It should be dealt with before flowering in the late winter. Push a serrated knife into the soil about 2-4cm deep at an angle to sever its central root.
Dave Wilson, Mt Maunganui.
Fair tidings and salutations, Master Braunias. Your Tale of the Hermyt Kingdomme rivals Sir Geoffrey Chaucer in its wit, pathos and funny words. Fritha Parks, Māngere.
The Minister of Local Government is asking us, via her Three Waters initiative, to give away water assets we've already bought through council rates and then buy them back with our taxpayer money. Ian Collinson, Remuera.
Even the most green of novice Cabinet Ministers exercising good judgement and political savvy would have seen the cycle bridge for the expensive PR disaster it was. Larry Mitchell, Rothesay Bay.
There are excellent runway viewing parks on the Auckland Airport approach road from the south, the perfect spot for the Erebus monument. Richard Kean, Ngongotahā.
Cuba's capital Havana (Weekend Herald, October 2) has reached 90 per cent vaccinations. Come on New Zealand. Glen Stanton, Mairangi Bay.
On the front of Envirosoft toilet paper, in large letters, are the words "Recycled Toilet Paper". Have our scientists found a way of extracting the toilet paper from sewerage? Brian Alderson, Glen Eden.
Sorry Aucklanders, that you have been let down by these nutters. Good luck to those unvaccinated, you will need it. Frank Glover, Waikanae.
"My body, my choice" Certainly, will that be cremation or burial? Doug Hannan, Mt Maungaui.
Hairdressers will be among the most popular people when restrictions are eased. Maybe customers should be required to produce proof of vaccination. Pamela Russell, Ōrākei.
Just how many Covid experts are in Kiwiland when we repeatedly see morbidity professors, modelling guys, epidemiologists and "roadmap" opinionists? And, isn't it frustrating that these specialists espouse different points of view? Rex Head, Papatoetoe.
We post-WWII Baby Boomers get a lot of stick from those more youthful but our generation willingly lifted our sleeves at various times so New Zealand no longer suffers from the scourges of tuberculosis, polio, scarlet fever, rubella and other viral and bacterial diseases. Juliet Leigh, Pt Chevalier.
Perhaps, instead of gloom and doom, we should give thanks that the decisions made in the past 18 months have prevented the same death toll as overseas happening in New Zealand. Now that surely is good news. Jennifer Ma'u, Melville.
Former Act president's lawyer claims sentence was too harsh, calls for home detention.