New Zealand is trailing almost the entire world in Covid vaccinations. The government justifies this on two grounds.
First; unlike most other countries we’re not currently facing an infection crisis, thanks to our geographic isolation and small dispersed population.
Second; we can afford the luxury of waiting to ensure the vaccines work without unpleasant after-effects. On face value that may seem prudent, albeit in the event it appears to have been a misplaced concern.
Now Health Minister Chris Hipkins talks of getting a vaccination programme underway by the end of March, when, and note this, when the vaccinations become available.
Translated, that means the Health Department unlike everywhere else, failed to order them quickly enough. So we’re now in a fingers-crossed situation hoping that the new rapid mutation transmission variety doesn’t hit our shores. That’s not something I’d bet on.
I sense further lockdowns looming in the months ahead as this Health Department massive cockup consequences take effect.
Let’s hope I’m wrong, but there’s no doubt this is a significant government failure. To give a measure on this, Whitehall has announced it expects to have vaccinated all adult Brits by the end of June, about the time we’re (fingers-crossed) getting underway. Britain’s population is 14 times ours which says it all.
It’s time our punchdrunk National Opposition took up this issue, instead of lap-dogging every government virus measure for fear of a besotted public backlash.
13 Comments
Dead right Sir Bob.
What really grinds my gears are the outright lies we are told .
In October Hipkins advised that “ we were at the head of the queue for vaccines.”
Arrant bovine manure !
Israel is leading the pack with vaccinations and little Samoa ( with Australia’s assistance) has already vaccinated its politicians and now injecting the population.
We were responsible for providing vaccines to both Tonga and Samoa but the latter clearly did not believe the Beehive spin and lies.
The safety of the vaccine certainly did not cause concern for our 95 year old Queen nor the 100 year old Duke.
If it is good enough for them then it is good enough for me.
The sad fact is that we are continually being lied to by both the Ministry of Health and our hapless government.
Clearly, we were never “ at the front of the queue”.
That was simply pre – election spin.
This is all about control – nothing else.
Ardern et al will ensure our country is kept locked down and isolated for at least another 12 months.
Twyford could not have done a worse job then Hipkins – and that is saying something !
Well said, this is so very true, but unfortunately, there are so many sheeple in NewZealand and in their eyes Sir Ashley is a saint.
If only it was that simple!
The little guys were always never at the front of the queue, unless the suppliers were looking for equine pigs.
How can one compete on price, when the opposite has such scale; even if there are alternative products.
We’ll just have to sit and pray between times; perhaps even wear face masks and make them compulsory. Now that could be an option!
Agree…a massive fail with regard to ensuring timely supply. Particularly galling when you consider that distribution through GP practices should be smooth, compared to US and Europe.
The government are grooming the New Zealand public for the next inevitable lock down due to this Governments incompetence.
It was only back in October 2020 that Chris Hipkins was stating that New Zealand is at the front of the Que for the vaccine, as it has now turned out, he was just full of hot air.
The only thing the Government could get right was to put the whole country under house arrest. Go hard, go early, Jacinda was preaching to us all. Well that certainly does not apply to rolling out vaccinations any time soon in New Zealand.
Papua New Guinea will be done and dusted with their vaccinations, while this Government still ponders on what to do next.
The government is barking up the wrong tree with total reliance on vaccine to reopen borders. The virus kills the aged – and so does the vaccine! Why are they ignoring cheap reliiable Covid treatment in Ivermectin, or Hydroxychloroqine (in combination)? Craziness!
I couldn’t agree more with your last word Sue
The evidence is that Ivermectin and Hydroxychloroquin work. There is no evidence the available vaccines work. The multinational pharmaceutical companies are making billions from their untested over time drug cocktails which masquerade as vaccines. And they cannot be sued for harm. Simply insane. There are massive numbers of vaccine injuries and deaths already from these “warp speed” witch doctor brews. They are not reported for some reason. Critical thinking has been suspended by terror over this .025% fatality flu. The world is barking mad.
“The world is barking mad”. Absolutely!
“There are massive numbers of vaccine injuries and deaths already from these “warp speed” witch doctor brews. They are not reported for some reason.” . Not so sure about this. If deaths not reported what is your source.
It becomes clearer daily Sweden has it right. Live with it, keep yourself safe. The economic destruction has not hit home yet but it is coming.
As you say … barking mad. If I was 30 and as fit as I was I sure wouldn’t be worried about getting vaccinated against a flu and think most under 50’s won’t bother. Most of them don’t even know when they’ve got it.
To quote you again “bonkers”.
Slightly off topic – but can Sir Bob or anyone else explain why NZ BANNED Covid-19 antibodies test kits in April 2020, ban effective for 1 year?
https://www.medsafe.govt.nz/Medicines/policy-statements/COVID19PointOfCareTestKits.asp
I suspect a motive that is utterly scandalous, but is there an “innocent” explanation? Was this ever discussed in the media, and I missed it? I just picked up this info from, oddly enough, a podcast discussion between Ivor Cummins and James Delingpole; Ivor Cummins’ assumption of the motivation for it was the same as I too, automatically assume.
Vaccines are certainly worth a go – the sooner, the better.
Of course, the Infection Fatality Rate for the normal flu is 1 /1000, despite vaccines…
Will the Covid vaccines fare better? I suppose they could. However, I have an inkling that the Covid vaccines won’t reduce the COVID-19 death rate to zero…
Will the NZ borders be opened if vaccinated people still die of COVID-19?
Answers on a postcard – I’ll be outta here if Fortress NZ remains closed to the world indefinitely…
Surely no one is surprised by this Government’s failure, inaction or lies? That’s all they excel at. It’s all they will ever excel at. Prisoners in our own country. Cindy loves it.
Lies, lies, lies. And the media are no where to be seen.
Has anyone noticed how the never ending trail of bad news about covid has trailed off from the states now Biden and the luny left have had their way?
Sir Robert, methinks that you have been enticed into over-complicating matters pertaining to COVID. In reality, our modern pharmaceutical industry has created a largely untested, un-verified vaccine that is between 70% and 92% effective (if injected every 5 months) against a virus that 99.75% of infected people are either unaffected by, or recover from in a few days. It’s truly amazing how so much can be made of so little by so many.