News of vaccine’s arrival next week sparks rare unity

Rollout of jabs for border workers hailed right and left

News that the first Covid-19 vaccines will be administered ahead of schedule, starting in a week’s time, has resulted in a rare bit of political unity.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern yesterday announced frontline border workers would start getting the jab from next Saturday — February 20.

The development has been hailed across the political spectrum and by businesses and unions alike.

Until yesterday, New Zealanders were in the dark as to when exactly the Pfizer vaccines would arrive.

Ardern had previously said only that the first batch would be here in the first quarter.

But yesterday, flanked by a number of her top ministers, Ardern made the “milestone” announcement of the rollout for border workers starting next week.

“The vaccine is important for protecting our health, our economy [and] our current freedoms,” she said. “Last year we indicated the vaccine would arrive in quarter two, and earlier this year we updated that to quarter one. It’s pleasing to be receiving doses this early in quarter one.”

Border and workers in managed isolation and quarantine (MIQ), as previously flagged, are at the front of the queue — Ardern said it would take two or three weeks to vaccinate all 12,000 or so of them.

They will be vaccinated at their place of work, Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said.

Ardern said she was not particularly worried about any healthcare workers refusing the vaccination, because she didn’t think many, if any, would turn it down.

But if someone did, Ardern said they would likely be transferred away from the frontlines.

The first batch of vaccines to arrive will be in the “low tens of thousands”, according to Hipkins.

Next in line for the vaccine are the close family members of those workers, then health care and essential workers before those most at risk from Covid-19 get the jab in the second quarter of the year.

Finally, a nationwide vaccination programme for all New Zealanders will begin in the second half of the year, as previously announced.

Ardern said she expected the vaccine rollout in its entirety to be completed by the end of the year.

Meanwhile, the National Party’s Covid-19 Response spokesman, Chris Bishop, said it was “really good news” that frontline workers will be vaccinated ahead of schedule.

But the focus now would be on ensuring the rollout is as effective as possible — “that’s what National will be keeping an eye on”.

The Act party was also quick to applaud the Government for running ahead of schedule with the vaccines.

“The Government should be congratulated for getting some Pfizer vaccine for Covid-19 confirmed for rollout from next week,” Act leader David Seymour said.

But he was careful not to be too complimentary of his political rivals.

“It was frankly embarrassing that 75 countries have already administered 152 million doses of vaccine.”

Business NZ chief executive Kirk Hope said prioritising frontline workers was an appropriate strategy.

But he warned that New Zealand’s largest-ever vaccine campaign would require significant planning and operational ability to achieve within the targeted period of one year.

Council of Trade Unions president Richard Wagstaff echoed Hope’s praise.

“These are the members of our team of 5 million who are daily working in environments where they could be exposed to Covid-19,” he said of the frontline workers.

There were just two cases of Covid19 detected in managed isolation yesterday — both had arrived to New Zealand from Britain.

The Ministry of Health also reported that 12 previously reported cases have now recovered; meaning the total number of active cases in New Zealand is 44.