Some evidence suggests the efficacy of Covid vaccine falls to 53 per cent in four months. Photo / Photo/Armando Franca, AP
With a change in Government approach, and the systematic removal of Auckland's lockdown - despite the Delta virus variant still being prevalent - we need to clearly understand, as emphasised by Prof Peter Davis (NZ Herald, September 20), a totally dedicated approach to vaccination is of the utmost priority.
Playing catch-up because of previously insufficient vaccine, it is now imperative to achieve at least 90 per cent population coverage. This remains a difficult task because of ambivalence and disinformation within sections of the community. Best efforts must be used to overcome this dangerous apathy. Pfizer also now says it is safe to vaccinate children, aged 5 and over. There is, however, another important challenge.
Pfizer scientists have shown their vaccine efficiency reduces by 8-10 per cent per month to about 53 per cent, after four months following previous double vaccination. Accordingly, regular booster doses of the vaccine become a fresh imperative. A fresh sense of urgency is vital to ensure adequate additional supplies of vaccine.
Any delay in achieving optimal double vaccination, and then subsequent booster injections, could result in new and unprecedented viral illness and deaths, with livelihoods and the economy also suffering terrible damage.
It also remains vitally important for careful mask-wearing in every situation of virus danger.
Dr Hylton Le Grice, Remuera.
Minded by science
I'm pro-life and commonsense. I also leave medical and scientific research to people who know, understand, and have spent their lives studying and researching it.
I don't waste time "doing my own medical and scientific research" because I don't have the skills to do it and I don't know what it means. A Google search by a layperson or watching online videos isn't scientific research.
Do I question it? Yes. However, I also accept advice from those who are well-reasoned, rational, and know more than I do. On matters of life and death, I am persuaded by reason, not emotion.
In life, sooner or later you have to trust. Especially those who know more than you do. A functioning society exists on trust.
How many people research the pilot before they get on a plane, or know how and why an aeroplane can fly? None and not many.
In the future, like it or not, if you want to ever be able to move freely and travel unimpeded internationally you will need to provide proof of vaccination.
You can either make it hard or easy on yourself and others.
Boris Sokratov, Campbells Bay.
Numbers game
From a completely non-expert perspective, in going from a 80 per cent to a 90 per cent vaccination rate you're increasing the number of vaccinated people by 12.5 per cent.
That's really good but what's absolutely great though is that at the same time the number of unvaccinated people halves from 20 per cent to 10 per cent.
Common sense alone says that has to make a huge difference to transmission rates.
John Christiansen, Mt Albert.
Slow pokes
Many have criticised the Government for the relatively low vaccination uptake. But could that be more to do with human nature? Daily vaccinations numbered 42 thousand on average over the 15 days immediately prior to the arrival of the Delta variant; and 76 thousand on average – nearly twice the uptake – over the 15 days following its appearance. From these figures, it could be concluded that government policy had little to do with the vaccination upsurge and everything to do with New Zealanders recognising the devastating potential of the Delta variant and taking the decision to hastily get the jab.
John Hunt, Hobsonville.
Meeting our needs
Demands to expedite MIQ and visa applications to bring skilled nursing staff as immigrants (NZ Herald, September 24) is a case of Western nations paying the price for years of not facing up to their responsibilities and putting money and effort into training. Instead, many skills have been allowed to drift into just seeking immigrants at the expense of denuding poorer countries of skilled staff.
We have a pandemic and have already shown our lack of "kindness" to other nations, with demands for extra vaccines ahead of poorer countries. Naturally there are going to be worldwide skill shortages of health workers.
Fortunately the one person mentioning local training was the Minister of Health.
Neil Anderson, Algies Bay.
Emissions targets
Your editorial (NZ Herald, September 24) highlights the "free-rider problem" that continues to bedevil international climate change negotiations. This is largely a state of mind – a perception that moving earlier than others on reducing emissions would be foolish if there is a risk of being caught out by a future agreement that sets a base year for further reductions without recognising the achievements of (and costs to) "early adopters".
It is thus not entirely surprising that, in the three decades since the Rio Earth Summit in 1992, most governments have talked about the issue but avoided doing much about it.
I suggest a pragmatic agreement that each country can and will set their own targets for reducing emissions. Those who move more quickly will be rewarded with credit for their actions not available to those who move very slowly or not at all. This would reduce the perceived risk of "free-riding" and provide a strong incentive to laggards.
The two largest emitters, the USA and China, are finally showing interest in genuine action and will hopefully form the core of a global consensus at Glasgow.
Graeme Easte, Mt Albert.
Fuel me once
It is hard to understand why this Government has banned gas exploration. Gas is clean and it is here.
When gas runs out, will we go back to charcoal for our barbecues? Will we continue to import expensive and polluting coal to turn into to electricity? What will we do with all the gas stoves and hot water cylinders?
Rachel Lewis, Takapuna.
Headlong ride
Simon Wilson may be interested to watch Auckland Council's brilliant attempt at a-buck-each-way in Takapuna's main street, to see how this could also be a solution in Queen St.
In Hurstmere Rd, the main street is now one-way for cars, heading north (towards Milford).
For cyclists, Auckland Council is installing shared cycling with the cars going north, and a "dedicated" lane going south (towards Devonport).
But, to appease the anti-cycle-lane faction, it appears to be feeding the southwards cycle lane directly into the oncoming northwards traffic stream. Pure genius.
Let's see how this experiment goes, I don't imagine it has been tried anywhere else before.
Simon Shanahan, Takapuna.
Auckland Council responds: As part of the Hurstmere Rd transformation, the road is now one-way for northbound traffic, with a 30km/h speed limit, making it safer for all users and more pedestrian-friendly. Construction is now in its final stage, which will include the completion of a dedicated southbound cycle lane. At this point, the cycleway is only half completed. When finished, the southbound cycle lane will be laid with a different surfacing material and painted with a white line to maintain clear separation from the northbound traffic lane. At no point along this cycle lane will cyclists be fed directly into oncoming northbound traffic.
Higher grade
Lloyd McIntosh suggests the Australian submarines will use low-enriched uranium (NZ Herald, September 24).
However, US and British nuclear submarines use highly enriched weapons-grade uranium and this is expected to be the basis of the Australian deal.
That explains the concern about nuclear proliferation.
Maire Leadbeater, Mt Albert.
Heard afar
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern spoke to the General Assembly of the United Nations to welcome the re-election of our Secretary General. It was great rhetoric that should be saved and savoured for centuries.
Of course, she touched on the elephant in everybody's living room, climate change, but she also noted the need for global co-operation to eliminate the challenges to biodiversity. She says we have to not poison our ocean waters and our atmosphere, which are themes broadly represented by the other 193 countries speaking at the United Nations this week. The words of New Zealand inspire all eight billion of us.
D. J. Neyhart, Berkeley, California, US.
On Shaw
Being a Glaswegian, I would not recommend going to Glasgow in November, but the minister may know this and the team of 15 might huddle together and create some local warming. Iain Campbell, St Heliers.
On mandates
Demands for compulsory vaccination or lose your job, suggests it would be more socially acceptable to the Government for a man to lose his job and go hungry, or go on social assistance. Rob Sinter, Kerikeri.
On Amazon
We shall rue the day data centres were given the go ahead in New Zealand. They will be the biggest users of electricity in our country and on the planet. Bob Lawton, Panmure.
On u-boats
"Memories of ships being sunk by German U-boats operating in New Zealand waters have faded" claims Matthew Hooton. Not surprising, given that only one U-boat, U-862, actually entered New Zealand waters and sank exactly zero ships. C. C. McDowall, Rotorua.
On lockdown
I certainly hope that wastewater testing is being done in the Omaha area, with the amount of families coming up to their baches every weekend, regardless of what alert level Auckland is in. Ingrid Burke, Omaha.
On modelling
So our leaders are "fear-mongering" because they confront us with the science that informs their decisions? Michael Smythe, Northcote Pt.
No country in the world has vaccinated more than 84 per cent of their population (Portugal and UAE leading). Why would we be any different? Highly unlikely that we would get to 90 per cent, based on worldwide evidence. It will be interesting to see Ardern navigate that situation as it emerges in coming months. In the meantime, we'll continue to burn billions of dollars and borrow and hope. Grant H.
Look at daily new cases numbers for Norway and Denmark and Ireland - over 500-plus a day. We are going to need anti-viral drugs and antibodies as approved in the States for those with suppressed immune systems. Until we have enough ICU beds, I can't see much happening. More emphasis on business trips, not sports teams. Rosemary W.
Lock in an open-up date in, say, two months, giving plenty of time for people to get a vax and prepare best they can. The sooner a decision is made, the more time people have to prepare and make a considered choice. Meanwhile, the Government needs to focus on its core responsibilities and make sure health system, critical workers etc in place. Stephen H.
I'd like to see the breakdown as to how many people that think we should "just wait for 90 per cent" are those who are unvaccinated and don't plan to get vaccinated. Are those who don't intend to get vaccinated entitled to an opinion on this? They've made their decision about vaccination and now want to make the important decisions for the rest of us. Mark B.
We need a separate pathway for fully vaccinated people to come in. I see for groups - vaccinated Kiwi citizens/residents, vaccinated non-Kiwi, unvaccinated Kiwi and unvaccinated non-Kiwi. They don't all need two weeks in a one-size fits all MIQ. From December 1 (or sooner), vaccinated New Zealanders wanting to return should be allowed to skip MIQ and isolate at home, with daily testing. By then, we can have 80 per cent of eligible people in New Zealand fully vaccinated, so risks are low. Vaccinated non-Kiwi can have a shorter MIQ. Sue J.
I'm all for seeing a goal but with child immunisation rates averaged at 86 per cent over all ethnic groups, 90 per cent is likely a dream. So does that mean we're not opening up, ever? "Hermit kingdom" may be an apt term. Raymond O.
Helen and Ian Burgess, Todd Clark, Sandra Matthews, Dr Beata Bukosa, and Damien O'Connor.