More than a thousand unvaccinated port workers

“With the very real risk of another COVID-19 outbreak, our borders have been left vulnerable with more than 1,000 port workers unvaccinated,” says ACT Leader David Seymour.

“As of two and a half weeks ago there were 1,149 unvaccinated port workers. You only have to look at what’s happened today with the ship Rio De La Plata off the coast of Tauranga today to see how vulnerable this leaves New Zealand.

“There are now nearly 100 port workers in isolation. The Government needs to urgently explain why so many port workers are not vaccinated.

“COVID-19 has been around for almost two years. We have had time to prepare. By now, our border workers should be vaccinated. Instead just 1,689 workers out of 2,838 have had at least one dose of the vaccine.

“The largest number of unvaccinated workers is in Bay of Plenty, the very place the workers have potentially been exposed.

“New Zealand has so far got by with good luck, not good management, The Government needs to lift its game before our luck runs out.”