Protesters walked from Hawke's Bay Hospital to Labour MP Anna Lorck's office. Photo / Paul Taylor
Protesters walked from Hawke's Bay Hospital to Labour MP Anna Lorck's office. Photo / Paul Taylor
Those against the Covid-19 vaccine mandate, including dozens who have now lost their jobs, took to the streets of Hastings in protest of the new rule coming into effect.
More than 100 people gathered outside Hawke's Bay Hospital on Omahu Rd before a smaller contingent of about 40 people marched towards Tukituki MP Anna Lorck's office in Hastings' CBD on Tuesday.
The protest related to the passing of the November 15 deadline for frontline health workers to be vaccinated against Covid 19.
Frontline health workers and teachers had to have had their first dose by Tuesday, or face losing their jobs.
The deadline for the second dose is January 1. Organisers say the group will walk the kilometres long trip through Hastings' CBD to Lorck's offices on the corner of Karamu Rd and Queen St by 11.30am.
A protester outside Hawke's Bay Hospital. Today is the day a vaccine mandate kicks in for the health and education sector. Photo / Paul Taylor
Among the group of more than 100 protesters were two long-serving nurses with more than 40 years experience.
Neither supplied their names but one woman said she was "gutted" when the vaccine mandate was announced and 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. It wasn't just health care workers she was representing, she said.
"My child is turning up to school today and there's no teacher."
Melody Ferguson, a Hastings-based early childhood teacher said it was contradictory that she could drop her child off at a centre as a parent, but could not work as an unvaccinated staff member.
"I've now lost my job.
"I feel completely depleted."
Some of the signs on display on Omahu Rd, Hastings. Photo / Paul Taylor
She said it was "crazy" people would not be able to work.
"This country is going to fall apart ."
While Ferguson had "no idea" what came next, she felt she was doing the right thing by protesting and hoped positive change would come from it.
Another teacher who did not give her name wanted to see a more preventative approach to Covid-19 until there was more medium to long term information about the Covid-19 vaccines and people could be better informed.
Gabriel, who did not give his last name, 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.
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".
He said he would be happy to wear a mask and take other Covid-19 precautions but felt there needed to be more data about the Covid-19 vaccine. He said he had received other vaccines.
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."
