“Our aim is to then commence vaccination of the general public in the second half of the year. This will be dependent on Medsafe approving the vaccines as being safe and effective for use in New Zealand.
Safety will always be our priority. We’re all set to move swiftly, but we will not be rushing or compromising safety in any way.”
So says the New Zealand Ministry of Health regarding the rollout of the Pfizer and Modena SARS CoV-2 “COVID” vaccines.
COVID-19: Vaccine planning | Ministry of Health NZ
Medsafe’s Evaluation and Approval Process
They also say:
“Vaccines will not be mandatory
The COVID-19 vaccination will not be mandatory for the New Zealand public. You may choose not to be vaccinated.”
Well, that part is good news for those of us who have doubts or are outright naysayers. A caveat though: You can bet your bottom dollar there will be restrictions galore for the unvaccinated. Try booking an overseas trip for instance.
The pro-vacc brigade have been champing at the bit to speed up the “steady as she goes” approach of the Ministry Of Health, and Chris Hipkins, after much criticism, has taken steps to expedite priority doses. But this cracking of the whip might well backfire on them: The MOH is right to be cautious.
Here’s why.
Recently we posted an article with a number of links showing a notable number of deaths and bad reactions to the vaccines overseas:
But New Zealand’s situation is different from the situation “overseas”.
Leaving aside questions surrounding manipulation of statistics etc etc, the figures show significant infection numbers in most countries, including a lot of “COVID related” deaths.
Now, as the vaccines are being administered across various countries, we are seeing a considerable amount of collateral in the form of bad reactions, sometimes temporary, more worryingly, sometimes permanent, and even worse, a number of deaths, as outlined in the link above.
Now, no vaccine is 100% safe, there are always casualties. (How many and how safe or dangerous has been a topic of heated debate for some time now, with no quarters drawn from either side. I don’t intend to go there on this article!) but when thousands or millions of vaccinations have been administered, the vaccine death figures can be weighed up against the COVID death figures and the Powers-that-be can spout on about “the greater good” and a few sacrifices for the betterment of all, give some reassuring statistics and percentages, and for most of the population that’s enough for them to get back in line for their jab and certificate.
The remaining questioners and doubters can be labelled “anti-vaxxers” and “conspiracy theorists” and it’s back to business.
In New Zealand, that tactic isn’t going to work in the status quo.
We have, as far as we know, zero community infection cases. Aside from a constant trickle of cases in isolation facilities, usually only a handful at any given time, NZ is COVID-free. At least for now.
So imagine then: if we start vaccinating the masses in NZ under current conditions, there will be vaccine related injuries and deaths. Even if only a few, they can’t be buried under a pile of facts and figures and statistics.
COVID-19: Current cases | Ministry of Health NZ
No matter which way one looks at it, zero COVID infections and deaths versus a handful of vaccine-related reactions and deaths, no matter how small the number, equals a Public Relations nightmare.
Add to that, the acknowledgement that the Modena vaccine is only rated as 62% effective, and the tide may turn against the mass vaccination plan awfully quickly.
Here’s another possible scenario to contemplate. Prime Minister Ardern makes good on her pledge to take the vaccine in front of the cameras, with the world watching. She has a bad reaction and is carried away on a stretcher…need I say more?
Is it any wonder the New Zealand government is taking it’s time with the vaccine approval process?