I feel like this quote is the most important part of the article:
“I think it's important to note that we would probably have had the same amount of families leave if it wasn't mandatory, due to not wanting their children to be around unvaccinated people once delta gets here.”
The "but think of the anti-vaxxers!" pearl-clutchers are forgetting to think of the vulnerable families who couldn't possibly attend a programme with unvaccinated adults around. I feel a lot more sympathetic toward the latter, who don't get to choose!
I am a Playcentre Mum. Thank you for this article. I very much welcome the mandate. It will be hard on some centres, ours is only just surviving and if we lose any families we will be very close to closing. I for one would be leaving if the mandate wasn’t in place however. These are hard times, doing the right thing has hard consequences but it is still the right thing to do.
As part of the homeschool community, we are having to navigate it on a case by case basis for homeschool classes, activities, social events, etc. whether to require vaccination. As far as I can tell the vaccine mandate in educational settings doesn't cover us; I wish we had the clarity that schools and Playcentre have.
If we get COVID in the community in my area and we have abandoned lockdowns for the 'traffic light' systems we may be skipping a lot of our regular activities as my son is too young to be vaccinated yet.
While it’s unfortunate it’s really important anti-vaxxers understand that they are no longer welcome in society. I feel very sorry for their children but there’s nothing we can do about it. Behaviours have consequences. I don’t understand how these people can willingly hurt their children but they do
I was a Playcentre kid, my kids were Playcentre kids, it has a lot going for it. And I do understand the questions they have around how they check and enforce the mandate but the key thing is, it's about keeping the kids safe. vaccinating the adults is the only tool we really have to keep them safe right now soooo . . . jab up or go?
I’m relieved we’re all finally being adults and discussing the elephant in the room - vaccinations. The truth is that covid vaccines aside, many of us have felt deeply uncomfortable about the lack of transparency around the vaccination status of our health and education and business workers for a long time. I want to know so that I can choose which businesses and people to financially support. Where to send my kid to get cared or educated. Vote with my wallet etc. Its not really any different than deciding I don’t want my KiwiSaver being invested into guns or deforestation etc. How can I make an ethical choice (for me) if I don’t know the business/teacher/nurse/police vocation vax status? If I don’t have that information?
As an ex Playcentre mum I was very uncomfortable at the idea that many of the kids weren’t vaccinated for measles let alone the covid pandemic. What really shocked me this week was those midwives crying on tv about having to get a vaccine when they work with pregnant people and babies. You cannot get more vulnerable than that. It just made me cringe. An unintended consequence may be a clear out of science deniers from the midwifery profession. And where will they go? Most employers want vaccinated staff to avoid their entire business being shut down if someone tests positive.
I'm a Playcentre, and actually it's MY mum who attends with my daughter, so the two most vulnerable people in my family. If the mandate didn't include Playcentre, then WE would certainly leave, and I would be very disappointed for the families who ARE vaccinated and/or NEED others to be vaccinated so that they can survive the pandemic. I've been upset at what I feel has been quite 'charged' language that Playcentre and some of the leadership have used in the communications sent out; "imposed" mandate, "leaving not of my own choice" and more. A tone of not being pleased with the mandate, vs trying to figure out Playcentre's responsibilities and going with the directive. I feel it is a small minority who don't agree with the mandate, but is making out the whole organisation will collapse because MOST of the community are not being vaccinated. It's ridiculous on a professional level.
I feel like this quote is the most important part of the article:
“I think it's important to note that we would probably have had the same amount of families leave if it wasn't mandatory, due to not wanting their children to be around unvaccinated people once delta gets here.”
The "but think of the anti-vaxxers!" pearl-clutchers are forgetting to think of the vulnerable families who couldn't possibly attend a programme with unvaccinated adults around. I feel a lot more sympathetic toward the latter, who don't get to choose!
I am a Playcentre Mum. Thank you for this article. I very much welcome the mandate. It will be hard on some centres, ours is only just surviving and if we lose any families we will be very close to closing. I for one would be leaving if the mandate wasn’t in place however. These are hard times, doing the right thing has hard consequences but it is still the right thing to do.
As part of the homeschool community, we are having to navigate it on a case by case basis for homeschool classes, activities, social events, etc. whether to require vaccination. As far as I can tell the vaccine mandate in educational settings doesn't cover us; I wish we had the clarity that schools and Playcentre have.
If we get COVID in the community in my area and we have abandoned lockdowns for the 'traffic light' systems we may be skipping a lot of our regular activities as my son is too young to be vaccinated yet.
While it’s unfortunate it’s really important anti-vaxxers understand that they are no longer welcome in society. I feel very sorry for their children but there’s nothing we can do about it. Behaviours have consequences. I don’t understand how these people can willingly hurt their children but they do
I was a Playcentre kid, my kids were Playcentre kids, it has a lot going for it. And I do understand the questions they have around how they check and enforce the mandate but the key thing is, it's about keeping the kids safe. vaccinating the adults is the only tool we really have to keep them safe right now soooo . . . jab up or go?
I’m relieved we’re all finally being adults and discussing the elephant in the room - vaccinations. The truth is that covid vaccines aside, many of us have felt deeply uncomfortable about the lack of transparency around the vaccination status of our health and education and business workers for a long time. I want to know so that I can choose which businesses and people to financially support. Where to send my kid to get cared or educated. Vote with my wallet etc. Its not really any different than deciding I don’t want my KiwiSaver being invested into guns or deforestation etc. How can I make an ethical choice (for me) if I don’t know the business/teacher/nurse/police vocation vax status? If I don’t have that information?
As an ex Playcentre mum I was very uncomfortable at the idea that many of the kids weren’t vaccinated for measles let alone the covid pandemic. What really shocked me this week was those midwives crying on tv about having to get a vaccine when they work with pregnant people and babies. You cannot get more vulnerable than that. It just made me cringe. An unintended consequence may be a clear out of science deniers from the midwifery profession. And where will they go? Most employers want vaccinated staff to avoid their entire business being shut down if someone tests positive.
I'm a Playcentre, and actually it's MY mum who attends with my daughter, so the two most vulnerable people in my family. If the mandate didn't include Playcentre, then WE would certainly leave, and I would be very disappointed for the families who ARE vaccinated and/or NEED others to be vaccinated so that they can survive the pandemic. I've been upset at what I feel has been quite 'charged' language that Playcentre and some of the leadership have used in the communications sent out; "imposed" mandate, "leaving not of my own choice" and more. A tone of not being pleased with the mandate, vs trying to figure out Playcentre's responsibilities and going with the directive. I feel it is a small minority who don't agree with the mandate, but is making out the whole organisation will collapse because MOST of the community are not being vaccinated. It's ridiculous on a professional level.