Why New Zealand virus comparison is unfair – Yorkshire Post Letters

REFERRING to Gary Stainthorpe’s letter (The Yorkshire Post, February 23) noting how New Zealand has restricted the death toll from the pandemic, I would respectfully ask if he is aware of the situation in that country.

I have family living there for many years and have visited on several occasions.

The total population is less than that of Yorkshire with only two international airports, Auckland and Christchurch, compared with the numerous airports in the UK receiving international travellers.

The population is far less densely spread across the whole of New Zealand without the very crowded housing situations pertaining in many of our cities.

Doubtless mistakes have been made in the UK in dealing with the pandemic, but please let us see the situation in a proper perspective which in no way can be compared to the situation in New Zealand.

Give the wonderful NHS, and our Government, credit where credit is due.

From: Hilary Andrews, Nursery Lane, Leeds.

YOUR correspondent Gary Stainthorpe rightly points out the low Covid infections in New Zealand were due to the rapid shutdown of the whole country by its premier, Jacinda Ardern.

New Zealanders are the greatest of international travellers, particularly the young people.

My question for Jacinda is what will happen when the country has to be reopened?

Will there be another shutdown if cases start to rise? There is no simple answer as how to deal with this virus.

From: Maggie Boyes, Cloughton, Scarborough.

FIRSTLY may I send huge congratulations to Jo Whiley for making sure that people with learning difficulties are now being given the vaccination against Covid.

What kind of world have we become when it takes a celebrity to achieve something that parents, carers and national charities cannot do?

I, like many others, have spoken to my local CCG, emailed the Minister for Vaccination (no surprise that I had no response) and even begged our GP surgery, all to no avail.

Jo, along with Marcus Rashford and others, has done a tremendous job and must be thanked. But why oh why don’t the powers that be listen to those who are literally on the front line working with our loved ones?

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