Letters: Ignore ongoing Covid threat at our peril; female MPs and abuse; electric vehicle cop-out

The Government is considering whether to stop funding free Covid test kits at pharmacies.

Have we forgotten Covid kills?

Part of the issue with losing almost four times as many Kiwi lives to Covid than died on our roads (NZ Herald, January 16) is that crumpled cars smeared across roads are far more sensational and disturbing than a silent, lonely death in a hospital bed.

As humans, we have an enormous capacity to ignore things that harm us (cigarettes, alcohol, etc) and we are obligingly providing an ideal opportunity for Covid mutations to find new human hosts daily. We forget, at our peril, the difficult and tragic lessons of the past four years, and that part of the methodology in controlling Covid is identifying infected numbers to enable an appropriate public health response.

Waning immunity requires a targeted immunisation programme; however, the silence from health authorities about the very serious risks of repeat infections is deafening, and they seem content to let the Herald do their job for them in keeping the public informed.

Why is New Zealand lagging behind in identifying the cause and effect of Long Covid, while many overseas studies are focused on advancing informed interventions and identifying effective treatment strategies?

It’s understandable that people are Covid-weary and would prefer to pretend it no longer poses a threat. It is shortsighted of the Government to withdraw free testing kits, which will allow infected people to unintentionally spread Covid more efficiently.

The Herald has identified some of the best epidemiologists in the country and it is to be fervently hoped that the Government listens to them.

Mary Hearn, Glendowie.

Make it free

We need to get people out of cars and on to public transport. What a simple solution - make public transport free for at least six months.

Buses, trains and drivers are being paid for anyway. The cost in loss of fares will be enormously offset by savings in the cost of having people sit in traffic every day.

If the mayor wants a congestion charge, pair it with free public transport. The result is completely predictable - people will choose free transport.

This simple experiment could transform Auckland. With so many buses almost empty, what would be the total cost of not getting fares from the few passengers? Far less than what’s been spent on “consultants”, I’m sure.

The more people use buses, the better public transport will get. It’s a win-win all the way.

Susan Grimsdell, Auckland Central.

Female MPs and abuse

It’s now clear progressive female politicians are fair game in this country.

Those who dare to be outspoken are likely to be attacked on a daily basis with ferocious verbal and physical threats. This foul intimidation is a serious problem, as it undermines our democracy. It certainly will act as a deterrent to young women with an interest in politics.

If the only women who enter politics are happy to do the bidding of their masters, our Parliament will become less and less representative of our population.

It’s time this issue was taken more seriously by our Government on behalf of us all.

V.M. Fergusson.

Catch the cowards

Anonymous and vicious messages to public figures have contributed to resignations, health issues and worse.

These cowards would never write under their own names as our laws for defamation would then apply.

Why are we stuck with this? Can’t someone in our IT industry or in our research departments solve the problem - stop the anonymity and allow our laws to operate accordingly?

Enough misery has been suffered, surely?

Edwina Duff, Parnell.

Bus trumps parking

Correspondent Alan Walker of St Heliers (January 18) has complained of exorbitant CBD parking costs in downtown Auckland that are so expensive, they prevent people from having a night out at the many good restaurants in the CBD and have led to a decline in foot traffic in Queen St.

Does he not realise there is a very efficient bus service from St Heliers which goes along the waterfront drive into the CBD, which overcomes any need to park his vehicle in the CBD, and instead he can use the free parking available in St Heliers?

David Mairs, Glendowie.

A swipe at banks

A debit card payment is as good as cash. The transaction is quicker and easier for a business and removes any risk of staff error. The transaction is also cheaper and safer for the bank to administer.

What is the justification for adding a surcharge when I use my own money?

All our big banks are Australian-owned and they seem to manage without debit card surcharges there - PayWave too. What’s up?

Ian Swney, Morrinsville.

EV cop-out

With the double whammy of no further rebate for buying an EV, plus road user charges starting soon, I think this latest Government is showing its true-blue colours clearly.

New Zealand business with no emission targets, as was usual in the fossil fuel era (though that’s soon to be history), is its future modus operandi.

“COP-out” might sum it up?

Rob Buchanan, Kerikeri.