Vaccine mandate: About 140 Hawke's Bay District Health Board staff have 'no jab'

Protesters take to the streets to voice their disapproval of the government mandate around Covid-vaccine. Photo / Paul Taylor

About 140 Hawke's Bay District Health Board staff are believed to have refused the first dose of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine.

Tukituki MP Anna Lorck, a former DHB board member, said she understood 96 per cent of the DHB's full-time staff had received at least one dose of the Covid vaccine before the vaccine mandate kicked in on Tuesday.

With staff levels of 3538 people, as at June 2021, it would mean about 140 staff are still unvaccinated.

Health workers who have not had one vaccination after the passing of the November 15 deadline, and who have not already resigned, are being stood down on pay while their individual situations are worked through.

More than 100 anti-vaccine mandate protesters gathered at Hawke's Bay Hospital on Tuesday morning with about 40 of them walking through the CBD to crowd outside Lorck's office on the corner of Karamu Rd and Queen St.

New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) organiser Sue Wolland said they supported the government mandate, but people had a right to make their own choices.

"We have had members call with concerns around the mandate, but in Hawke's Bay the numbers for those not following the vaccine mandate are low.

"I know only a handful of members at the DHB who have had their employment terminated."

She said the ones who chose not to be vaccinated did so for personal and cultural beliefs and she respected the choice.

"We are here to support them in whatever decision they make."

A nurse with more than 40 years' experience said she was "gutted" when the vaccine mandate was announced, and she wanted to see it revoked.

Her friend, a nurse of 25 years, said she felt "unsafe" at the hospital before the mandate came into effect and worried about the impact of the staff shortage.

She said more staff would go as a result of the increased pressure on them now.

Gabriel, who did not give his last name, said he worked at Hawke's Bay Hospital until he received his official stand down letter on Friday.

"There are doctors and nurses and midwives, teachers and Corrections staff here today," he said of the protesters.

Some nurses were willing to lose their jobs over the mandate to get a vaccine. Photo / Paul Taylor

He said it had been a "whirlwind" with little over a month to prepare. Initially unsure if he would be impacted, he likened the uncertainty to "mental torture".

Now facing unemployment, he worried about the impact of the staff shortage in the community.

"We all love our jobs and want to work. We are just not allowed."

Lorck, who was in Parliament on Tuesday, said she acknowledged the concerns of the protesters, but reiterated the high majority of New Zealanders were vaccinated against Covid-19.

"It is hard at the moment for everyone, but we're in this together and will come out the other side and I wish to again thank the vast bulk of the health and education workforce who have been vaccinated and those who are working on the front line".

A protester outside Hawke's Bay Hospital mourns the loss of her job. Photo / Paul Taylor

Overall vaccination statistics for Hawke's Bay on Tuesday showed the region needed two per cent more of the eligible population to get their first vaccinations to reach 90 per cent.

Seventy-seven per cent of the eligible population had been fully-vaccinated, as of Tuesday.

"We're seeing increasing vaccination rates across region every week, showing most people are keen to do their bit to keep the community safe," Lorck said.

"Collectively we are all safer because of this community-minded action. Children are safer and so are those most vulnerable to the virus."

Lorck said there would be some people who chose not to get vaccinated, and they were more likely to get sick, put others at risk, and take up room in hospitals.

"We can't leave anything to chance, and that's why we are making it mandatory.

''It's not an easy decision, but we need the people who work with vulnerable communities who haven't yet been vaccinated to take this extra step".

Spokeswoman for NZ's 20 DHBs Rosemary Clements (TAS) said all had been working hard to comply with the government's Covid-19 Public Health Response (Vaccinations) Order 2021.

She said DHBs had been working with contractors and suppliers whose staff fell under the scope of the order.

"We will have more information about the number of staff who have been stood down and those who have resigned this week, as final numbers are confirmed over the next couple of days."

Clements says staff who have not had one vaccination by Tuesday, and who were still in the consultation phase of this process, would be stood down on pay while their individual situations were being worked through.

TAS said there was the opportunity to explore other options, including paid special leave, unpaid leave or annual holidays if staff were intending to receive their vaccination shortly after the dates set out in the Order and were unable to receive it by the deadline.