Whanganui letters: Border needs to close to stop Covid outbreaks

Experts have suggested pausing international flights during the Covid outbreak in the community. Photo / Michael Craig

Monday's Chronicle had a story from Jamie Morton reporting on five changes that epidemiologists think New Zealand should make to deal with the current Delta Covid-19 outbreak.

The first one mentioned was to pause international flights – obvious I would have thought. Four highly qualified epidemiologists all share this view, with Professor Michael Baker outspoken about this issue through the 2020 outbreaks. But no, the borders remain open.

The reasoning put forward by these experts was that a move to cease all people entering the country would free up MIQ space to assist with isolation of those affected by the current outbreak, and to reduce the risk of another outbreak from a border failure event associated with infected people coming into the country. According to the article, there have already been 10 reported quarantine system failures linked with international travellers into NZ. If no people were coming into the country, there would have been zero border failures.

If we don't have international travellers coming into the country, that is by far the best strategy to protect the population. This should be the case while the Delta strain is out there, and particularly until the population is vaccinated to a high enough level. Point 5 in the article recommends getting more essential workers (those that continue to work while the rest of us are locked down, and those at the border) vaccinated. The fact that there are border workers still not vaccinated is not acceptable.

While the border remains open we can only expect these outbreaks to continue, with a price tag of $1.5 billion a day according to Grant Robertson last week.

RUSSELL EADES
Whanganui

Homeless dilemma

Is it truly the mandate of the Whanganui District Council (Chronicle, August 23) or is it central government's job to effectively look after the well-being of people who have nowhere to reside in this country?

I have read through the council's policies and found nothing that reflects that this is part of its role. In fact, the council is about to consult its constituency regarding freedom camping in the Whanganui District. This has been brought about because of the flouting of the hospitality of Whanganui ratepayers by the overstaying by several people at the very freedom camping area being considered by the council for people to camp how and when they want. The council is looking, at the ratepayers' cost, to provide shower facilities as well.

All these facilities, and more, are already being provided at several places called campgrounds. They abound in Whanganui and are a much safer environment than a roadside freedom camping situation as these campgrounds are supervised and regulated. Assistance to help pay the costs should surely be forthcoming from WINZ.

I really think this proposal for "housing" the homeless needs much more thought before any action is taken. A much better solution would be to open the doors to the old unused UCOL buildings in Dublin/Wicksteed streets.

GRAEME SIMPSON
Whanganui East

Mask plea

The latest spring-like weather in our lockdown allows us to use our favourite walkways such as along the riverbanks. Recently I ventured out for my daily lockdown walk from the Dublin Street Bridge to the Railway Bridge, crossing paths with numerous people where maybe one in 10 wore masks.

Please good people of Whanganui, wear a mask when venturing out as in effect you are coming into numerous contacts with a potential Delta virus carrier. Imagine behind every walker a small stream of infected air that you are about to pass through. Maybe that image will encourage mask wearing. As the advice says, "act as if everyone out there (and you) have the virus".

As much as I love the riverbank walks I will be walking the streets to avoid the throngs from now on.

ROBERT JAUNAY
Whanganui

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