Covid 19 Delta outbreak: NZX firms urge Super Saturday vaccination

The stock exchange is getting onboard and encouraging communities to get vaccinated this Super Saturday, drawing on some of its listed customers to voice their support in a video shared on social media.

"Covid has caused extremely difficult challenges for many Kiwi businesses, and we are all looking forward to being able to re-open our economy and return to a 'new normal' once the vast majority of our population is safe and vaccinated," said Mark Peterson, CEO of the NZX.

"This is our chance to band together in helping protect our whānau, community and the rest of New Zealand."

The Ministry of Health has organised Super Saturday tomorrow as an initiative to get higher vaccination rates across New Zealand.

Don Braid, who heads up iconic logistics and transport company Mainfreight, opens the NZX video clip with a call to action.

"Let's get vaccinated New Zealand. I did for my family and the Mainfreight team."

Don Braid, managing director of Mainfreight. Photo / Natalie Slade

Karleen Everitt, head of Te Ao Māori Strategy at ANZ Bank, urged everyone who hasn't already to get the jab.

"It's our time to stand together and protect our whānau. Don't wait, vaccinate."

Manu Caddie is the founder of Rua Bioscience, the first NZX-listed company founded by Māori community.

He said he'd just had his second vaccination at the Ruatoria health clinic.

"I did it for my kids, for our whakapapa, for our whānau, for my parents – they have a health condition - and for our neighbour in her 70s. And I encourage everybody else to do it. Not only for yourselves but to protect those that we care about.

Asantha Wijeyeratne, chief executive of payroll solution company Paysauce.

Asantha Wijeyeratne, chief executive of payroll solution company Paysauce, said getting vaccinated is the change we have to beat Covid.

"Join me and get yourself vaccinated. I got my shot as soon as I could."

NZX general manager of people and sustainability Lara Robertson expressed what many of us are thinking: "Summer is coming. For me that means Christmas with family, outdoor events and visiting friends at the beach. Getting my vaccinations now means that I'll be able to do that safely this summer."

The initiative from the NZX follows political leaders sending their messages to unvaccinated Kiwis.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, who had been double vaccinated since July, appealed to people's "sense of community" to get the jab to protect their loved ones.

"Don't do it for yourself, do it for others. If all of us reach out to one of us who hasn't been vaccinated yet and talk through their concerns and encourage them, we can get the job done."