In this Covid era, there are many stories about hospitals being overwhelmed with non-vaccinated Covid sufferers, to the detriment of non-acute admissions.

Surely New Zealand now needs to introduce a criteria of vaccination as part of determining which New Zealander is allocated our scarce resources?

Such separation should be shortly after breathing and bleeding. If 80 per cent of our population are vaccinated, then the allocation should be based on that percentage.

This is not about turning non-vaccinated away – it's about sharing available resources.

I accept that it is a departure from our usual cultural criteria, wherein the drunks, drug overdosers and other indulgences sometimes are given high priority.

The non-vaccinated have made their choices. Some after research, others are simply too lazy or bludging.

It is their pre-determined decision as they perceive their risk. The government should authorise medicos to separate admissions under my suggested lines [with some discretion].

Jacinda and co are unlikely to go for this, just as they have taken far too long to accept the inevitable requirement of vaccination passports, which the vaccinated are urgently awaiting.

The world has a crisis of wartime proportions, but many politicians refuse to recognise this scenario and adapt accordingly.

Bill Capamagian, Tauranga.