It’s disappointing the Government is only now trying to get a batch of vaccines for our frontline workers when this should have been a priority in the first place, National’s COVID-19 Response spokesperson Chris Bishop says.

“Three months ago COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said New Zealand was at the front of the queue for a vaccine. Now we are begging providers to give us a small batch to vaccinate frontline staff.

“This is a Government failure, pure and simple.

“Why has it taken pressure from National to kick the Government into action and source vaccines for our border workers?

“If the contracts the Government originally signed with vaccine manufacturers included a contingency for vaccinating frontline workers, we wouldn’t be in this position. The fact that we are is due to negligence from the Government.

“If Singapore and other countries, many without COVID-19, are able to vaccinate their border workers immediately, why can’t we?

“So much for going hard and going early.”