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Todd Talks |
Earlier this year, when other countries were vaccinating their citizens, we were told that we didn't need vaccines as quickly as other nations needed them.
After all, we had the elimination strategy down pat. Community Covid-19 had been extinguished from New Zealand.
This was despite seeing the rest of the world fall victim to the exponentially more infectious Delta strain of Covid. But still we didn't rush importing the vaccinations because we didn't have any cases of Delta in New Zealand. Until suddenly we did.
Now the government is trying to convince a population not entirely in support of the idea to get those vaccinations into their arms quickly.
Last Christmas, New Zealand carried on about its usual summer activities of beach trips, family reunions and long car rides. We looked at the rest of the world with sympathy as they huddled in their small bubbles with no trips to the pub to break up their holiday monotony.
This Christmas, there is a very real fear that we'll be the country huddled in our bubbles because not enough people have been vaccinated in time for summer. New Zealand, the country who achieved zero Covid status, is at risk of lockdowns over Christmas.
Whatever your own plans are for this summer, please do get vaccinated, now that you can. Even if you don't care about festivals, Christmas shopping or travelling, millions of other New Zealanders do.
National supports the government's push for Super Saturday. If you haven't already done so, please book your vaccinations and please encourage those around you to do the same for the sake of us all. Saturday, October 16, is Super Saturday - a target to get your vaccinations underway so you're covered by Christmas.
