Vaccinated and proud of it: That's the aim of a local campaign to help spread the right message.

The 'vax tick” is a simple logo devised by publishers Brian and Claire Rogers, owner operators of Sun Media.

It aims to instantly identify and connect those who are fully vaxxed, and wish to communicate their enthusiastic support for medical science and the vaccination drive.

In the wake of Covid-19, society is moving towards a new way of communicating, interacting and socialising.

Awkward conversations regarding vaccination status and opinion is just one of the changes many members of the community now face on a regular basis.

Brian and Claire are both proud to be vaccinated and have now come up with a way to share that fact with others in a positive and simple manner.

The Sun Media Ltd directors have created a Covid-19 vaccination tick pin which can simply be placed on a face mask, or item of clothing, to share a silent message to the community – To be a part of the mighty All Vax team.

The vax tick can also be used on a whole range of other items; including flags, clothing, bumper stickers and printed material.

Brian says the vax tick needs to be embraced as part of an instantly recognisable brand, potentially worldwide, and should help unite people in the same way that other branding has united important causes around the globe, such as Black Lives Matter, the trans-community rainbow and tie a yellow ribbon round the old oak tree.

'This is a way of the silent majority to stand up and say, ‘hey, we're doing our bit and we want to see who else is on board.' And we're standing strong with the community.”

Claire is glad to be a part of a positive movement surrounding the Covid-19 vaccine.

And she is not alone.

Te Tuinga Whanau Trust chief imagination officer Tommy Kapai Wilson says he is prepared to do everything to protect the health and wellbeing of his family.

'The best thing I can do to do that is make sure I am vaccinated and all my family are including my children, and that is the case, we all are.

'I am for the pins for a lot of reasons, but for one, I like the positive message it projects.

'I would like to see us move away from the ‘anti' word and try and soften our korero for the vaccine hesitance and so it's all about the language that we're using to approach it.”

Tommy is also working on a billboard campaign encouraging kindness and conversation around getting a vaccinated. Read more here.

The pins will have the above logo on them, indicating the wearer is vaccinated. Image: Sun Media.

He feels that any positive steps that can be done to encourage vaccines, should be taken.

'You'll find once it takes off, and it will take off, that people will just look for it and see it and you will just be a part of the All Vax which is a great team to belong to.

'This could well be the logo signifying that you're part of the mighty All Vax team.

'I was waiting for someone to do it, and so well done to Claire and Brian Rogers for getting it done, because people do want to play their role and send a positive message out.

'We will all have to learn how to live with Covid, and we can, and when we look back on it and it will be just like all the other medical challenges that we've had.

'We have amazing science behind it, fighting at the front line for us. So I trust in science and I trust in our leadership.

'When you're in a war, and we are, you have to be able to recognise the leaders and support them. That's what I'm doing and it's all we can do.”

Rosalie Liddle Crawford, who has worked and lectured in the fields of medical microbiology and immunohaematology science for many years, says the Covid vaccination tick pin is a simple and understated way to let business owners and cafes know you are vaccinated.

'It can be very gruelling on business owners wanting to keep their staff and customers safe from Covid day to day.

'A tick pin is a quiet show of support to those businesses that have struggled during lockdown. It lets them know you are also doing your bit to help.”

Rosalie says by getting vaccinated, you drastically reduce your chance of falling seriously ill or transmitting the virus to others.

'You also reduce your risk of getting infected in the first place.”

The Covid-19 vaccination tick pins will be available soon.

Merchandising including bucket hats, bumper stickers, and tick pins either stand alone or attached to masks, are available for purchase. Enquiries to enquiries@sunmedia.co.nz

From every purchase $1 will be donated to either Te Tuinga whanau or Foodbank.

Te Tuinga Whanau is a charity which looks after over 200 homeless members of the Tauranga community

To book your vaccine head to: https://vaccinations.bopdhb.health.nz/

For more information about the vaccine, visit www.covid19.govt.nz