Editorial: Vaccination is a balancing act of carrot and stick

US President Joe Biden has told the millions of unvaccinated Americans: "We've been patient, but our patience is wearing thin, and your refusal has cost all of us". Photo / AP

Amid all the numbers Kiwis are keeping track of during the Delta outbreak, there is one that ultimately rules them all.

As Aucklanders wait to see if the city will drop an alert level, the daily vaccine number seems less urgent than the new case count or how many mystery infections there are. But the level of interest in getting vaccinated shown by daily jabs is key to the bigger picture.

The lockdown is slowly squeezing the coronavirus out, although it may take longer than people would like for Auckland to drop to level 3.

However, the Government will be keeping a close watch on the dose rate, with an uneasy eye on developments overseas around vaccinations.

Going into the weekend, there was a sense that vaccination momentum was stuttering after the heady heights of 80,000 to 90,000 jabs per day earlier in the outbreak. Last week there were 61,810 for Saturday, 64,775 for Friday, 61,574 for Thursday, 66,935 for Wednesday, 72,893 for Tuesday and 66,310 for Monday.

Those are solid, consistent numbers. But for whatever reason - most of the country dropping to level 2, public discussion about vaccine supplies, or many people having already booked for shots - there has been a clear drop-off.

Overall the rollout is on the right track, with 65.3 per cent of people or 2.84 million having received one or two doses at the end of the working week. The total of unvaccinated people is currently at 34.6 per cent.

Extra doses from Spain and Denmark should ease any fears about falling short.

There was also a big push for jabs in Auckland at the weekend, with two drive-through sites and a three-day event focused on the Tongan community. Early data on that was promising.

It may be back to full steam ahead this coming week.

Momentum is crucial if New Zealand wants to be one of the top-flight countries in smashing through to a very high vaccination level. There are plenty of countries puttering along in the 50 to 70 per cent lane. We don't want to get stuck there.

There is a smaller group in the 75 to 90 per cent range. According to the Financial Times tracker, the United Arab Emirates is on top with 91 per cent having had at least one dose. Up there are Qatar, Malta, Singapore, Portugal, Spain, Iceland, Uruguay, Chile, Denmark, Canada and Ireland.

At the moment the Government is trying to encourage people to get it done and is making it easier to do so than was previously the case. No doubt it would prefer to continue in that vein.

On Friday, United States President Joe Biden ordered federal vaccine mandates which cover up to 100 million Americans. He addressed the 80 million Americans who haven't had shots, saying: "We've been patient, but our patience is wearing thin, and your refusal has cost all of us".

More than 208 million Americans have had at least one dose but the unvaccinated tail is wagging the vaccinated dog. The US is suffering from more new infections, hospitalisations and deaths than at the same time last year.

Polling shows majorities in favour of various requirements. An August poll of attitudes towards employer vaccine mandates in the US swing states of Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin had 61-68 per cent in favour.

The mandate debate is also under way in Australia.

Denmark is now reopening, having used a vaccine certificate domestically as part of its restrictions for more than three months.

One way or the other the message is the same: Just do it.