David, Retired. Wellington, NZ.

For the first time ever, everyday people thought they had the right, due to Government and media messaging, to ask my vaccine status. It became part of accepted conversation. My medical privacy was no longer deemed acceptable, you owed it to everyone, to publicly declare your vaccine status. Later this was enforced with the requirement of a “My Vaccine Pass” for entry to some businesses during the days of the Traffic Light System. It didn't take long for those who weren't, to be outed.

All that power given to everyone, all for an experimental treatment that did not prevent contracting Covid19 nor stop its transmission. This became evident when people who were fully vaccinated with the required “Two Shots for Summer”, still contracted Covid19. They were advised to continue masking! The messaging changed to the vaccine will likely stop you from being hospitalised.

Roll on cancel culture. You got vehemently called one of those “anti-vaxers” if you didn't agree or a “conspiracy theorist” if you dared to have an alternate view. You were censored! You soon became too frightened to question the obvious or voice your opinion or concern. It shut down any healthy debate and honest questions.

So why were the Government coercing people with the extreme measures they put in place?

It made my world shrink, I was no longer accepted in clubs, I felt isolated. I believe it has forever changed me to this day, I have not regained the level of engagement with others that I had pre-Covid19.

My experience of Covid-19 was an awakening

I lost all trust in Government and media during the Covid years and found that people judged you on whether you had a medical treatment, or not. The following are some of the observations and questions that come to mind during that time.

Sorry, New Zealand is Closed

Lockdowns, it was only going to be for a couple of weeks to flatten the curve… Yeah right!

Our home was turned upside down, now a place of work, not the place to escape to. I watched my wife work long days dealing with workplace Covid19 restrictions and adapting to everchanging rules. Recall continual video calls, meetings and her mobile phone running hot.

Just a few of the decisions at that time that didn't make sense

• The Elimination Strategy – this was always going to be unachievable.

• Locking down healthy people.

• Closing small businesses, liquor stores classed as essential businesses yet a fruit and vegetable store, or local butcher wasn't.

• The things the Government did were so ludicrous, it went beyond incompetence.

Alarm bells went off in my head that it was not about the virus, it was about restrictions, taking away everyday freedoms for something that was only going to affect a small percentage of the population. The focus should have been on protecting them, as was the plan from the beginning. It needs to be investigated why the change of tact. All those responsible need to be held to account, including the Medical Council that shutdown GP's fulfilling their oath “first do no harm” and “giving full informed consent”.

• Why natural immunity was no longer recognised. The vaccine was the only saviour, even if you'd recovered from a previous infection. Six months later you were advised to get the vaccine, again WHY?

Skewed Science

Apparently, the only science we could trust came from those deemed Government experts. Science is never settled, there should always be robust debate. Especially as more information continued to emerge from overseas.

Mask wearing, this was very uncomfortable and encouraged me towards online shopping versus supporting local business. There was mixed messaging about this right from the get-go and no real scientific evidence to back it up. Was it criminal to require people to wear them all day in a retail or work setting? What are the long-term health impacts from this alone? I watched people stuff them into their pockets then reuse them. Were there more infections due to mask wearing caused by the moisture and lack of oxygen?

One o'clock Podium of Truth

The Ashley and Cindy show. Only gave case numbers, not the true numbers of people with Covid19. All deemed from a PCR test that was not designed for diagnostic purposes. You could test positive and have no symptoms or have symptoms and test negative… totally unreliable. Then employers, subsidised by the government were paying these people who were not sick to stay at home affecting more businesses and services. I stopped watching the news and the fear mongering from the One o'clock standup.

So, what now?

I call for a new enquiry with broad terms of reference whereby all measures and actions can be examined by suitably appointed new Commissioners and staff with no conflict of interest.