LOCAL NEWS
HELEN WHITE:
LABOUR LIST MP BASED IN AUCKLAND CENTRAL As we know, cases of Omicron are rising exponentially across New Zealand and especially in our city, Auckland. By any measure the Government vaccination rollout and now booster programme has been a great success. Every District Health Board is at above 90% vaccinated, 1.8 million New Zealanders have now had their booster and our mortality rates from Covid-19 are among the lowest in the world. As an MP, I receive emails expressing disquiet over vaccinations and the use of vaccine mandates quite a bit. I always respond to these emails in a respectful way. I think it is important people feel acknowledged and heard, and moreover, they are really listened to. I grew up in a family where apart from tetanus, I was not vaccinated. I think this has given me an understanding for how naturally this scepticism of vaccinations can come to many people. I have changed my views over the years as I have seen the merit of the protection it offers against disease. I remember being very wary when my first child was born but becoming much more comfortable with vaccines over the years. I try to answer the emails I get on this subject from my own experience and with respect. I feel the same way over responding to concerns over mandates. I appreciate there are strong views about this and as an employment lawyer I am naturally wary of such tools and value people’s security of income, but the evidence is that mandates have been a highly effective strategy overseas and have been working to control the spread of Covid-19 here too. I recognise however, that this tool must be used carefully. The content of the emails I get ranges from principled, thoughtful responses, to ones that are accusatory and assert things as facts which I know are simply not true. Some suggest politicians and leaders are calculating to harm others and use labels like “criminals”. The reality is our leaders and health advisers are making decisions in good faith. Whether for or against the policy of the Government, surely long-term it is important to the health of our democracy and sense of community that we don’t lose our capacity to empathise with each other. The first step in assuring that is starting with the assumption that most people are well-motivated. Even if you are distrustful of
politicians, it’s hard to argue that those who work in health and science are some of our most highly dedicated professionals. What doesn’t help with empathy and trust towards those guiding this Covid strategy is misinformation which suggests the opposite is true and the motivation is nefarious. For example, one recent email to me confidently asserted that I had had a saline substitute, while encouraging others to be vaccinated. So for the record, I have had all three doses. My arm felt a little sore for a couple of days and I lacked energy the day after, but that was the only reaction I got, lucky me. I had to work hard to convince my mother to get her vaccinations as she is 81, and I was really worried I would lose her if she got the virus. She had always been questioning of vaccinations, so I only had a few as a child. We worked through this together. She has now had all three doses and my whanau and I are greatly relieved. She had to change the habit of a lifetime and I am very grateful to her for doing so because she matters so much to the rest of us. I want to assure the readers of this article that the Government and all those advising us on our Covid-19 response are doing our best to navigate our way through a very difficult situation. I believe the path forward will need us all to show respect and empathy. (HELEN WHITE) PN www.labour.org.nz/helenwhite
Vaccination status of total cases and hospitalisations since August 2021
Source: Ministry of Health The Ministry of Health is classing all children under 12 as ineligible for vaccine, even if they have had a dose. Data includes people hospitalised with Covid-19, but not always due to Covid-19. Vaccination status of deceased people are updated when data is released, not daily. This data is only released in batches for privacy reasons.
36 PONSONBY NEWS+ March 2022
PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)
