Whanganui letters: Government should require traveller responsibility

People worked tirelessly, or donated goods and services, for a successful Super Vax Day, writes Ken Carvell.

Dear Prime Minister ... While you continue to let people into the country, and don't require them to be fully vaccinated and provide evidence of a negative pre-departure test, you will never keep the virus out, whatever the variant.

It should be the responsibility of the traveller to ensure they are not bringing the virus with them. If you had managed the border with the trans-Tasman bubble properly, we would not be in this position now. This lockdown, and the economic, psychological and other damage it has done to the country, is on you and your party ...

Your responsibility is first and foremost to the people in this country, not those that want to come to New Zealand as it suits them.

Every other day at 1pm when the daily cases are announced there "are also x cases in MIQ". This is where it is getting in and where you can make the most difference by ensuring people don't get on the plane with the virus.

As for the rule-breakers, isn't it about time you showed leadership and penalised these people publicly and heavily? A slap on the wrist is no deterrent.

Finally, we as a country need to define the term 'expert' so that we don't get every medical professional with a god complex putting themselves forward when, for example, they only have a PhD in brain injury research and a liking for the sound of their own voice. If everyone is an expert, and they are saying different things, it is little wonder there are so many nutters finding excuses not to vaccinate. [Abridged]

Russell Eades
Whanganui

Seymour 'misleading' on Super Vax Day

I would like to correct a statement by David Seymour when he said Super Vax Day was not a success, as it was only the 21st best day for first vaccinations.

Not only is this a slur against all those who worked so tirelessly, or those who donated goods and services, but also extremely misleading.

Here's why.

The early days of vaccination would have had high first jab numbers, as it had the whole population involved and most keen to get the jab ASAP. For the first three to six weeks this would be the case. From that point on, first jabs would gradually decrease while second jabs would increase.

On Super Vax Day those aimed at would be the last 20 to 25 per cent … the anti-vaxxers, the hesitant and the hard to reach. So to be the 21st best day of the preceding 100-plus days was indeed a great effort, equal to that of being the best day for overall vaccinations.

Seymour is either ignorant, mathematically inept or just politically posturing, or a combination of all three.

He would have been more credible had he followed Jacinda Ardern's example and ventured into territories to encourage reluctant people to get vaccinated, or joined up with Dr Reti, who took on a praiseworthy, personal campaign to vaccinate people.

Ken Carvell
Whanganui

Missed opportunity in great game

It was a great win for the All Blacks against Wales, and I, for one, enjoyed the 80 minutes. My only wish on Beauden Barrett's 100th game for the ABs and on his second intercept in the dying minutes was that he had taken the conversion. What a shame.

Congratulations, Beauden.

Gary Stewart
Foxton Beach