Public should know goal for vaccination, say Nats
The National Party says the Government needs to set a target of getting at least 70 per cent of the population vaccinated for Covid-19.
Other countries have similar targets for their immunisation campaigns. The Australian Government has said it wants to vaccinate its entire population by the end of October.
In New Zealand, the Government has been reluctant to put forward a target.
Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said this month that his personal goal was 90 per cent by the end of the year, but the Ministry of Health has advised MPs that it had no specific target as it wanted to vaccinate everyone possible.
National Party Covid-19 response spokesman Chris Bishop yesterday said the Government should set a target for how many people will be immunised and when.
‘‘New Zealand is one of only a few countries in the OECD that doesn’t have a target for how many adults should be vaccinated. The others are Colombia and Mexico,’’ Bishop said.
‘‘Almost all countries are setting a vaccination target – usually 70 per cent of the adult population – and a date for achieving that target. New Zealand isn’t doing this either.’’
Bloomfield, when fronting a parliamentary select committee this month, told MPs there was some international consensus that having 75 per cent of a population with some immunity to
Covid-19 was sufficient for herd immunity.
The ministry held no specific target for how many New Zealanders it wanted to vaccinate, as it wanted to vaccinate everyone available, he said.
Bishop said this wasn’t good enough.
‘‘A target will make sure the health system is focused, and means vaccination progress can be meaningfully tracked.
‘‘Targets exist for the measles and flu vaccines. Not having one for Covid-19 suggests the Government doesn’t want to be held to account on this.’’
He said New Zealanders were not receiving daily or ‘‘neardaily’’ information on the rate of immunisation that was available in other countries.
‘‘We’re falling further behind the rest of the world, Bishop said.
‘‘The latest available public information shows we have administered just 0.56 vaccines per 100 people, while Australia has administered 1.21 vaccines per 100 people.’’