Covid vaccine mystery: Why didn't Hipkins change mandates for teens? Why won't Bloomfield say?

This NZ Herald investigation delves into a critical question surrounding New Zealand's Covid-19 response: why were vaccine mandates for 12- to 17-year-olds not adjusted sooner, despite emerging concerns about potential risks? The Herald's findings indicate that then-Covid Response Minister Chris Hipkins was alerted to these risks more than three months before any action was taken, a period during which a significant number of teenagers remained subject to the mandates. The article highlights a lack of transparency, particularly questioning the silence from former Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield on this matter. From a New Zealand perspective, this raises important questions about the decision-making processes during the pandemic, the timeliness of public health advice, and accountability. While global media focused on vaccine rollout numbers, the Herald's focus here is on the specific policy decisions affecting young New Zealanders and the apparent delay in addressing potential harms, a matter of deep local concern.

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A Herald investigation found then-Covid Response Minister Chris Hipkins was informed about the potential risks of a second Covid-19 vaccine dose for teenagers at a time when tens of thousands of them had yet to get a follow-up jab.