Who's next for the Covid-19 vaccine? Photo / Getty Images, File
There's going to be as much controversy over who gets vaccinated first as there is over the Markle v Royals dispute.
The answer is simple. Who has the biggest population? Who contributes most to the economy and tax coffers? Who provides most of the new employment? Who
has been the front line for all the incoming Covid arrivals? Who has suffered most under lockdowns? Who has the majority of MIQ facilities? Who provides majority of domestic tourism? Who can best drive the economic recovery? Where do most incoming international flights land? Who has the biggest Maori and Pacific Island population? Which city is hated most by the rest of the country?
In every case the answer is Auckland.
So vaccinate Auckland first. Border workers are pretty much done, medical staff under way, then prioritise the rest working from eldest to youngest and give us all a passport to travel card.
It could just work.
Bob Manson, Golflands.
A Covid vaccination plan only needs five words and one exclamation mark:" Speed is of the essence!"
The current British vaccination rate is 300,000 daily doses for its 68 million population.
Scaled to NZ terms, this equates to 25,000 daily doses, with two doses required for the mRNA vaccines.
If NZ's vaccine plan were at British levels, it would take two days to administer the first dose to the estimated 50,000 close contacts of border workers. The Ministry of Health seems to imply one month is allocated to fully vaccinate these people.
Then next month, the 50,000 frontline health workers are supposed to be fully vaccinated. This is not quick enough. Even at 25,000 doses a day, it would take over 300 days to administer two doses to 4 million adults and adolescents.
Besides, the overwhelming late autumn and winter surges of Covid-19 in the Northern Hemisphere indicate it is critical to fully utilise the autumn window here, particularly with the virulent new strains. We must achieve 25,000+ doses a day, not in two or three months' time, but now.
Sole usage of one preferred vaccine eliminates failsafe redundancy. No big pharma firm can guarantee on-time delivery devoid of production bottlenecks over all of 2021.
Ramesh Nair, Remuera.
The slow vaccination rate Lucas Bonne ́ mentioned (NZ Herald, March 10) is due to having 900 vaccinators, not the 3900 needed. Some of the 900 have been filched from primary health care nurses, leaving a shortage of nurses in medical centres.
Magically clicking your fingers and getting other vaccines is not the issue, it is organising how to keep vaccines cool without expiring and getting nurses trained to deliver them. This takes time to get up to speed.
National Party leader Judith Collins is impatient for travel bubbles but we need vaccine passports first and delivery of vaccines to travellers. Paying nurses what they are worth apparently isn't part of the equation despite a shortage causing the vaccine delivery holdup.
Steve Russell, Hillcrest.
It may have escaped Stewart Halliwell (NZ Herald, March 9) that - despite the Christchurch earthquake and the global financial crisis during the National Party tenure - our finances were left in a very good place.
The test for the current Government will be how we survive Covid-19 from a financial standpoint.
You may well find, without the input from the suits, as the writer described his foes, the reset could be a monumental failure.
John Ford, Taradale.
Paul Judge and Stewart Halliwell (NZ Herald, March 9) need to be reminded that our current business and economic policy was introduced by a Labour Government. It was called Rogernomics.
Unfortunately, it is still alive and kicking today.
Don't blame just National for the current economy. Blame both parties for failing to make the changes that we have needed to ensure a balanced economy with less distance between the super-rich and those less fortunate.
Over the years, both parties have had plenty of time to have done so.
P Monk, Hillpark.
Some years ago a scientist on Radio NZ (whose name I cannot recall) advised that New Zealand is very fortunate to be surrounded by the cold waters of the Pacific Ocean.
This means the likelihood of a tsunami causing severe damage is significantly reduced because cold water slows the force of a tsunami.
It was at the time when a tsunami from Japan hit the eastern coast of Australia but the only area to be adversely affected was Brisbane, which has warm waterways connecting to the Pacific.
I do not recall a tsunami hitting New Zealand in the past 75 years.
Nor do I recall a tsunami causing damage to the western coast of the United States which is also protected by the cold waters of the Pacific.
I agree with your correspondent Keith Hay (NZ Herald, March 8) who questions our so-called scientific experts.
Janie Weir, Newmarket.
Not being privy to the alleged conversation - I wonder.
Have any of us not pondered as to who the expected new family member might resemble? I know we have had such discussions. Would they have their father's red hair? Would they have their grandfather's Māori features? Would they grow to have my buck teeth, or the Korean features of our beautiful granddaughter in law, or the blonde blue-eyed look of the father?
None of which is in any way a biased or racial conjecture. Merely the excited anticipation of the arrival of a new twig on the tree.
When initially seeing newborns, almost our first reaction is to try and recognise who they look like.
Even if they had been candy-striped, I'm sure each one of us would welcome, love and cherish them.
Kathleen Payne, Wattle Downs.
Some years ago before Camilla and Prince Charles married, Camilla's father was besieged by reporters and photographers outside his house demanding comments about his daughter's relationship with the Prince.
Her father said: "I have one thing to say to you all... in our family, we all keep our trap shut."
He went inside and shut the door.
It is a pity that the Sussexes didn't take that example on board.
Rae McGregor, Mt Eden.
I smell a rat. Head of Indian cricket, Sourav Ganguly, has announced that the final between India and New Zealand will be moved from Lords to his preferred Southampton venue rather than Manchester.
Both grounds have on-site hotels which provide better Covid safeguards.
Normally, Manchester might have been the Indians' preference but games will be played with no spectators. This nullifies any crowd advantage from attendance by a sizeable local Indian community whose number are far fewer on the English south coast.
Significantly, Southampton is a "spin" friendly pitch whereas Manchester traditionally favours pace.
India qualified over England for the final in their recent series by preparing turning wickets, so much so that their spinners on at least one occasion opened the bowling, almost unheard of in test matches.
Where was the NZ Cricket Council involvement in this decision? Clearly, sub-continent influence over the ICC is manifested here. A level playing field it is not.
Good luck Black Caps. A win by you will be all the more meritorious.
John Harmsworth, Warkworth.
I commend Police Commissioner Andrew Coster for acknowledging that policing is only legitimate when it is done by consent.
So why did police defend the ruthless destruction of 30 native trees in Avondale, against the consent of so many citizens who passionately opposed this assault? Surely the greed of one developer should not trump the clear mandate in favour of the trees? Democratic government is a social contract: to enforce the will of the many against the tyranny of the few. Murdering our taonga is the very antithesis of that principle.
Andrew Draper, Glenbervie.
On the surface, David Seymour's article (NZ Herald, March 8) on why our response to Covid should replicate Taiwan is enticing. Yet, given the significant cultural and political differences, the idea that what works for one country automatically applies to another country has a distinct feel of grandstanding. He is simply being the devil's advocate because that's all he can do.
To offer a plausible thought experiment, consider the situation where our government actually did implement a Taiwanese level response. One could be assured that Seymour would be vehemently opposed to such a response, calling it totalitarian and mass surveillance, and an affront to our personal liberties and freedom.
The reality is that Act just wants to be seen and heard in offering any alternative - even if that alternative is diametrically opposed to their supposedly libertarian ideals. However, based on his article, it would seem those ideals are rather loosely held, if at all.
M Boardman, Dunedin.
I am most upset by Apostle Brian Tamaki suggesting that the media might be responsible for recent seismic activity in the Pacific, as I and my part-time boyfriend thought that it was our love feast last week that had kick-started the whole thing off.
We feel somewhat disempowered by this turn of events and I have suggested, to said friend, that we both seek counselling in order to regain our self-esteem.
We would both like to apologise to the country for putting ourselves first and offer our congratulations to you and your colleagues for your quiet modesty in this affair.
Saint Richard O'Brien, Katikati.
On royals
Harry and Meghan, boo-hoo-hoo. Poor widdle wich kids. Are they so utterly mindless of real despair in our world? I have two words for them, "Grow up." Heather Mackay, Kerikeri.
Using family tragedy in a ratings war is despicable. There are usually faults on both sides. There are no winners, only losers. Bruce Tubb, Belmont.
I nominate Meghan Markle for an Oscar under the category Best Story. Harry gets a nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Neil Hatfull, Warkworth.
Now that Harry has confirmed that the monarchy is toxic, perhaps NZ should follow his example and leave it. Carrick Bernard, Mt Albert.
On Hosking
As the Prime Minister, I would never shy away from a challenge with Mike Hosking; he often brings valid issues to the table. There is always something positive to take out of a robust debate. Glenn Forsyth, Taupō.
On vaccines
I never thought I would find myself agreeing with the Greens, but their criticism of this Government's lack of planning for the vaccination rollout comes almost exactly a year after their slow and soft approach to the Covid-19 pandemic itself. Chris Parker, Campbells Bay.
On trees
Some people in positions of power will be distinctly relieved at the axing of the Canal Rd trees. A debt of gratitude is owed to everyone who stood with us in trying to halt Avondale's environmental degradation. Janet Charman, Avondale.
On MIQ
Commendations to Dr Mark Craig and all empathic MIQ staff (NZ Herald, March 9). I could only imagine how difficult, frustrating, and often heartbreaking your work at the MIQ coal-face might be. Now I know. M Van Zonneveld, Westmere.
Thirty-six recruits re-sat psychometric tests without the six-month stand down.