Roger (54), Registered Nurse & Anaesthetic Technician. Manawatu-Whanganui, NZ.

Senior Registered Nurse & Anaesthetic Technician – terminated from Air Ambulance and Specialist Theatre Anaesthetic support role despite having indicated I would accept Novavax (due in just 2 months' time). Local DHB acknowledged this and were required to enforce mandatory stand-down waiting for availability. Meanwhile DHB were notified I would accept then-available Astra Zeneca, but terminated my employment anyway. Result of just one Astra Zeneca injection was 10-day duration bilateral abdominal rash from armpits to hips, itchy and extremely uncomfortable – no more injections were able to be had due allergic reaction. Subsequent to these events, Official Information Act releases have identified my DHB exempted 65 nursing/midwifery staff from vaccination – Why did I need to lose my employment? What was the criteria for firing senior practitioners while exempting others in the same roles? Sadly, I continue to see media reports that highlight staffing woes as the reason so many New Zealanders are unable to receive the health treatment they require. I could have been part of that solution but was denied the right to work. All for what???