By Tom Webb

Having breakfast and scanning the news wires and came across this article about the Ministry of Health and they’re reconsidering changing the definition of what ‘fully vaccinated’ is. While we all understand that it’s an evolving response landscape when it comes to Covid and we have to adapt our responses as new variants appear – the one thing that strikes me is, if the Govt changes the definition of ‘fully vaccinated’ to 3 shots now – how does this play to the likes of the COVID-19 Protection framework aka the Traffic Light System?

If two shots are deemed only partial protection by Govt, it’s going to mean that the current goal of 90% coverage of 2 shots is for naught, if the traffic light system comes into play in a couple of weeks, as the vast majority of people in NZ have only got their 2nd shot within the last 2 months.

Maybe that’s part of the reasoning that the PM mentioned the other week, that most regions will go straight into the Red Light category when the system is introduced? If the definition becomes 3 shots (as overseas trends suggest now) then the restrictions under the Traffic Light System are going to be as harsh on those with 2 shots as the unvaxxed and the time for limitations on businesses, gatherings, weddings, funerals, and many aspects of our lives, will be affected for a long time to come.

Fingers crossed we don’t end up on a merry-go-round of redefining ‘fully vaccinated’ every 6 mths and needing to account for an extra dose each time. I don’t think the economy and society could cope with continuous restrictions and limitations as set out in the Traffic Light System as it stands.

As always, stay safe, stay well and stay thinking.

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2021/11/coronavirus-ministry-of-health-considering-whether-to-change-definition-of-fully-vaccinated-against-covid-19.html?fbclid=IwAR2mwERSJ1TRN3me8-zYb6RJx1CzJ6PE8ENzusK2QtmkxyAB5DG6kHxYO08