It’s time the Government came forward with a plan for New Zealand’s Covid vaccine and started answering some important questions, National’s Covid-19 Response spokesperson Chris Bishop says.

“We’re not asking for specific times and dates, but so far the Government has been silent on when Kiwis can expect to see a vaccine rolled out across the country.

“Other countries have already signalled their timeline, why can’t we?

“New Zealanders need certainty on:

• What vaccine or vaccines are we getting, and when?
  
  
• How quickly does the Government think we can roll out this vaccine to all Kiwis?
  
  
• What does a vaccine mean for our currently closed border and our managed isolation and quarantine rules?
  
  
• Will we be able to start opening back up again, and how quickly can this happen?

“In contrast, Australian Health Minister Greg Hunt was able to confirm the roll-out of a vaccine in November, with health workers and the elderly expected to have access to a vaccine by March next year.

“Lives are on hold right now, every day businesses are closing and Kiwis are losing their jobs. A vaccine is critical to our economic recovery and New Zealanders deserve to know what the Government’s plan is.

“Minister responsible for the delivery of the vaccine Megan Woods has repeated that New Zealand will be at the front of the queue, but what does that mean?

“Kiwis need and deserve transparency, but so far the Government hasn’t been very opaque. The very least it can do is give some certainty on when we can expect to see a vaccine and what a vaccine will mean for our border.”