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New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins says no one was forced to get a Covid shot despite mandates being introduced when he was minister
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New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has sparked outrage after claiming no one has been forced to get a Covid shot despite widespread mandates in his country.
Speaking at a press conference on Sunday, Mr Hipkins was asked about a campaign promise by New Zealand’s first leader, Winston Peters, to compensate New Zealanders injured by the vaccine or forced to leave their employment due to warrants.
“There is a procedure for people injured in a medical procedure, there are already procedures in place to handle that,” Mr Hipkins said.
“When it comes to vaccination mandates, I recognize it was a tough time for people, but they ultimately made their own choices.
“There was no compulsory vaccination, people made their own choices.”
New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has come under fire for claiming no one was forced to get vaccinated when he imposed mandates as minister.
The comments sparked outrage among Kiwis who have lost their jobs, been denied travel or have been unable to see loved ones in aged care or hospitalized because they refused Covid vaccines during the pandemic.
Mr Hipkins was the country’s minister at the time of the pandemic before becoming prime minister on January 22.
Angry comments flooded X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, accusing Mr Hipkins of ‘gaslighting’, i.e. manipulating someone into distrusting their perceptions, his experiences or his understanding of events.
“In New Zealand, vaccinations were compulsory for health workers, the military, teachers and police,” one noted.
“It’s not a choice when you can’t go to college, keep your job, open your business, play a sport or participate in life. without it,” wrote another.
“And he knew that very well when he imposed the warrants.”
One account even invited New Zealanders to share their stories about the “choices” they’ve made about vaccinations and mandates, and how it’s impacted their lives.
“Did that sound like a ‘voluntary commitment’ to you?” asked the account.
The majority of responses were decidedly negative.
“My wife and I are teachers. We couldn’t work! a response read.
A woman gets her Covid shot while driving in the New Zealand town of Whangarei
“Even at the end of the terms, I was still asked about my vaccination status during interviews, because the school board had not changed its policy. After 6 months we moved to the UK, where sanity prevails.
“Not voluntary! another waved.
“Things of daily life that were denied, including access to family members, were forced to obey their commands!
“Get stung, otherwise!” It was exactly like that! Coercion under duress is not consent! »
“And if you weren’t vaccinated, you couldn’t go home…” one person remarked of New Zealand’s draconian border laws at the time.
In March 2021, when he was Minister for Covid Response, Mr Hipkins imposed compulsory vaccination on border protection workers “on the front line”.
At the time, he claimed that no one was forced to get vaccinated.
He admitted that some people refuse vaccines for reasonable reasons, such as pregnant women who want to wait for the birth of their baby.
A customs worker fired for refusing to be vaccinated sued his bosses in the New Zealand Employment Tribunal before a ruling was handed down in his favor on June 30.