Sandra Goudie vs Science

Sandra Goudie is the Thames Coromandel Mayor who has been in the news for refusing the Pfizer vaccine, saying she will wait until she can receive the Novavax vaccine. Goudie is quoted in the NZ Herald as saying she “believes it is "absolutely wrong" that some people should be mandated to have the vaccine…”

Goudie has done her own research. Well, before one were to start with one's own research on vaccines, five years study at a medical school would be a basic prerequisite… but perhaps that is unkind to Goudie. She may have been paying attention to a consensus of experts?

On Saturday morning, Kim Hill's Radio NZ expert guest pointed out the Pfizer vaccine is safe because it has been tested on hundreds of millions of people. Novavax is still not approved, and is under trial. Goudie might have been smarter to wait for an Astra Zeneca shot, as it is closer to approval here, and like Novavax is not a RNA vaccine.

As to allowing medical and educational workers to remain unvaccinated, again going to RNZ's expert (John Potter), vaccinated people are far less likely to spread covid. Of 170 people admitted to hospital with covid, only three were vaccinated. That's despite a high proportion now being vaccinated.

> This year's conference is a joint effort with the Australian Skeptics, and we will be live-streaming the event with many interesting and thought-provoking speakers. The conference talks will also be available to watch after the event.

> We've set a low ticket price of AUD $40, which amounts to around NZD $42 - a lot less than it would have cost to attend an in-person event.

> Now is the time to get your tickets booked. It's on the Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st November. **[Please go here to book](https://www.skepticon.org.au/product/2021-tickets/)**.

> Part of the fun of a conference is being able to connect with like-minded folk. We're still hopeful of being in a situation where local groups could gather for a Saturday evening dinner after the livestream has concluded for the day. Watch this space and hopefully we can make this happen.