Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says she is “torn” over when she will get the COVID-19 vaccine as she wants to protect border workers first – but also wants to send a message the vaccine is safe.
Ardern told The AM Show on Monday her decision to wait was conflicted. […]
In her first post-Cabinet briefing of 2021, Ardern told reporters she is aware that a small part of the population is sceptical of the incoming COVID-19 vaccines.
She says skeptics want “as much information as possible”.
“We need to reach into those communities where they might be a bit hesitant and give them that reassurance.”
On Monday she confirmed she intended to be vaccinated – and would have no problem doing it publicly, as Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrsion did.
But she won’t be getting one for some time.
newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2021/02/jacinda-ardern-says-she-will-get-vaccinated-against-covid-19-publicly-but-is-torn-over-timing.html
National’s deputy leader Dr Shane Reti is “happy to help” Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern get vaccinated against COVID-19 publicly to ease uncertainties about its safety. […]
Dr Reti’s suggestion to vaccinate the Prime Minister in a public display comes after her Australian counterpart Scott Morrison received his at the weekend in Sydney for all to see. He was one the first Australians to receive it.
Morrison’s jab was televised on Sunday in order to help boost confidence in the vaccine roll-out across Australia. Ardern is open to doing the same, but feels that border workers should be prioritised first.
“In my view actually it’s the people who are at the frontline who are at the greatest risk – not me – and so I want them protected first,” Ardern told The AM Show on Monday.
“But equally, I would also want to send a message that it is safe and that we’ve gone through all the processes. I can tell you I will absolutely be getting a vaccine. I am happy to do it publicly but I’ll wait a little bit.
“I’m not exposed in the same way that those who work across our managed isolation facilities are exposed. I’ve got a family member who works in that cohort and absolutely they are the ones who should be first and foremost.”
newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2021/02/national-s-deputy-shane-reti-happy-to-help-jacinda-ardern-get-public-covid-19-vaccination.html
Should the Prime Minister be among the very first Kiwis to get vaccinated?
The question has come up because Scott Morrison over in Australia was among the first to get the jab yesterday.
Of course there were some who predictably questioned whether he’s jumping the queue, which is silly, but it presumably is the very reason that Jacinda Ardern hasn’t done exactly the same thing.
She has been asked about it and says she’s “torn”. She realises that getting a jab could help to send a message that the vaccine is safe, but she also says she wants the border workers to get the jab first.
And you can read between the lines: she’s worried it’s not a good look.
This is a no brainer and Ardern should be bumped right up to the front of the queue.
She won’t’ be displacing anyone on the frontline. We have enough Pfizer vaccine for 30,000 people, and given that we have 12000 border workers, there’s more than enough left over to spare one for the PM.
newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/heather-du-plessis-allan-drive/opinion/heather-du-plessis-allan-jacinda-ardern-should-be-bumped-up-the-vaccine-queue/
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has confirmed she will take the Covid-19 vaccine in public, but she wants those who work in the frontlines to be vaccinated first as they are “the priority”. […]
Asked whether she is willing to be vaccinated publicly, Ardern said she will, when it’s her turn.
“I am ready and willing to be vaccinated and I absolutely will be,” Ardern said.
“The important thing for me though was to prioritise those at the greatest risk. I am not at the greatest risk. Those we needed to look after are our frontline border workers, the people who are coming face to face potentially with Covid every day, they’re the priority.”
nzherald.co.nz/nz/covid-19-coronavirus-jacinda-ardern-says-she-will-be-publicly-vaccinated-but-not-yet/K7LDPTQCUTD2YW65D5TKYQJUDA/