Letter to the Editor

 

Mandate compassion
I joined the crowd that gathered on Monday to show our support to the special teachers of MBS (Mangawhai beach School). It was a beautiful, emotive farewell to some teachers who are passionate and caring for the children they teach.

I feel they have been discriminated against for what should have been a personal medical choice.

These teachers are courageous to stand up and face the huge loss of teaching the children they adored and loss of income/bread and butter on the table. I am so proud of them holding the line, honouring their personal sovereignty.

Myself and many in the community have been shaken for days afterward. The government has gone a step too far to cast aside these wonderful teachers. All vaccines in the past have been a personal choice. I feel this is an over-reach against our rights as human beings.

If you want the vaccine, that is a personal choice. Being in-store, we see a great melting pot of people but I know many are choosing not to get the vaccine or they are waiting for the covid drugs or Novavax. For the government to put all their eggs into the Pfizer basket is extremely risky. If you had a large sum of money would you put it all into one investment or share the risk load?

There are more beautiful people facing mandate changes in our community, such as health professionals, osteopaths, chiropractors, caregivers of disabled and elderly, midwives, doctors, nurses and more. I’m also seeing an increase of people who have taken a vaccine they had never envisioned taking, in order to keep food on the table and the bills paid. They need to be aware that there is support in our community for healing and detoxing.

I feel we all need to unite together to show care and compassion to all people even more now, as we never know how hard life has just become for that individual.

Anneke White
Mangawhai