Hope and faith
The lockdowns have helped our largest city lessen the health impact of Covid-19 but at an increasing cost.
Amid the closed shops there are many small- and medium-sized businesses that lockdown has crippled. The main shopping area of Onehunga had two fish shops. Now it has one. The
closed shop has had its fittings dismantled. It lies shut and empty. How are those who ran it faring? Badly, most likely.
This is not a new phenomenon.
I am 97 but can recollect a family discussion about the impact of the viral influenza epidemic of 1918-19; the desperation of families who subsequently lost sons and husbands seemed all the harder because it came about the end of WWI, and all the losses New Zealanders had suffered on those battlefields.
We still suffer several hundred deaths each year from influenza, often complicated by other conditions, even though a vaccine is available which can prevent many cases.
It is a blessing that advances in technology are such that vaccination has evolved remarkably quickly.
Auckland needs hopefulness and faith that its people can cope. It may be a strange Christmas this year but let's make it a hopeful, positive one.
Margaret Guthrie, Onehunga.
Airs and graces
Otago University epidemiologist Dr Amanda Kvalsvig says clear health advice from the Government is needed for people about exercising and meeting up outdoors, and keeping doors and windows open when inside.
Kvalsvig says this summer, good ventilation and the use of face masks will be critical to keeping Covid-19 at bay. "Importantly, they'll continue to work, regardless of which Covid-19 variant is circulating."
This is a vital message that everyone needs to hear.
Andrew Montgomery, Remuera.
Passport validity
As we move into areas of greater freedom, I am concerned that so much faith is being vested in vaccine passports. Unless they are shown with photo identification (passport or driver's licence) they are really useless, as you cannot be sure if the person presenting the passport is, in fact, that person - and therefore possibly not vaccinated.
This becomes even more important with the advent of Omicron, as the experts are not yet sure whether or not existing vaccines are effective against it. I would hope that in the light of this, our borders will remain closed, as the virus shows no sign of taking a Christmas break.
Geraldine Taylor, Remuera.
Neoliberal propects
As the clock starts ticking away Christopher Luxon's life as top Nat, I am reminded of the dying Voltaire's response on being counselled to renounce the devil: "This is no time to make new enemies."
Accordingly, a National government will not: introduce a capital gains tax; reduce farming emissions to 1990 levels as pledged; or get people out of cars.
Not only do the neoliberals have no long-term answers, it's thanks to their whingeing and haranguing Jacinda Ardern to open the border with Australia that we have Covid-19 in the community for Christmas.
Dennis N Horne, Howick.
Politics and faith
I see in both Thomas Coughlan and Claire Trevett (NZ Herald, December 1) record, with comment, the election of Christopher Luxon as leader of the National Party. Luxon is recorded as saying: "My faith is something that has grounded me into context that is bigger than myself". I understand this.
He then is recorded as saying he wanted to be clear that he believed in the separation of politics and faith. This I consider impossible. The long history of the interface of church and state indicates the wisdom of separating the two institutions, and the valid role of the church critiquing the state – and itself! However, this is not the issue raised in Luxon's reported second statement.
My life-long experience as a person of faith is that faith is not an "add on" to the rest of life, but a new way of seeing all life. Faith is a core motivator to address all life by applying such consequent ethics as justice, mercy, equity and well-being for all in the nation. Thus to have a faith is to come at all life, social, political and economic, from an ethical perspective.
Bruce Gilberd, Tairua.
