Coromandel MP Scott Simpson is still optimistic Thames Coromandel residents will get the double vaccine. Photo / Chris Steel
Coromandel MP Scott Simpson is still optimistic Thames Coromandel residents will get the double vaccine. Photo / Chris Steel
A regional councillor is questioning whether recent headlines - which have included Thames Coromandel District Council mayor Sandra Goudie's speaking about her decision not to have the Pfizer jab - are the reason for the district suddenly dropping down the vaccination ranks.
A local MP has also expressed concern that the decline could be the result of the mayor's personal choice starting to impact on others.
But Goudie has completely rejected any suggestion she's to blame saying people are intelligent and will make their own choices and whatever she says won't influence them.
Thames Coromandel has slipped two spots to joint 13th place with 67.4 per cent of residents fully vaccinated, according to the latest data available.
In a post on a local Thames Coromandel Facebook page, Dennis Tegg, who represents the Thames Coromandel constituency on the Waikato Regional Council, questioned what could be the reason behind it.
"Thames Coromandel slipping down the vaccines ratings - hmmm... can we think of anything happening in front page news recently that may have led to this?," the post said.
Last week TCDC mayor Sandra Goudie made headlines when she confirmed she would not be getting the Pfizer vaccine and would instead be waiting for the Novavax vaccine to be available in New Zealand.
But Tegg told the Herald his post was a "bit of a flippant thing".
When asked if he was referring to Sandra Goudie's public stance about not getting the Pfizer vaccine, he said: "You could draw that assumption, but there could be other reasons."
Tegg declined to be drawn further on what the other reasons could be saying Thames Coromandel councillor Gary Gotlieb was "doing a fine job of raising these issues" and he did not want to get into it publicly.
Tegg admitted the district's vaccination ranking was "not bad" and he thinks part of the reason it was up in the top 20 initially was because 30 per cent of the population was aged over 65.
"Now I think maybe we are drifting back because that immediate effect is waning a little bit. That's my impression anyway."
Coromandel MP Scott Simpson has also been vocal about not supporting Goudie's stance.
"It's a question of people exercising their choice, but doing so fully cognisant of the fact that with the exercise of choice comes consequences and maybe we are starting to see the consequences of one person making their choice."
Simpson was still optimistic Coromandel people would continue to get double jabbed.
"I think Coromandel people understand that doing so is not only going to be their best action that they can take for themselves personally, but also in terms of their commitment and relationship with their family and wider community."
He urged residents to listen to health professionals, trusted advisers to come to a decision that was not only beneficial to themselves, but also the wider community.
Goudie said people would make their own decisions and questioned under what premise these assumptions were being made.
"I clearly believe the communities have their own choice to make and whatever I say is not going to influence that. We were doing pretty well, but I think everybody else has come up to speed in actual fact. If they've surpassed us and we've dropped in the rankings that's just the way it is."
