A total of 311,257 New Zealand teenagers, approximately 78% of the country’s entire 12–17-year-old population, received a second Covid-19 vaccine dose after Government Ministers had been explicitly briefed about the heightened myocarditis risk in younger people, newly analysed official vaccination data and documents reveal.
Information uncovered through Official Information Act requests shows Government experts had repeatedly raised the risk, particularly following a second dose, and considered whether vaccination or second doses in younger people should be deferred.
On 4 August 2021, the Covid-19 Vaccine Technical Advisory Group (CV-TAG) recommended routine vaccination of 12–15-year-olds be deferred pending further review of emerging safety and effectiveness data, specifically including myocarditis.
By 12–13 August, CV-TAG members were told their myocarditis advice had been accepted by Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield and “communicated in detail” to Vaccine Ministers.
Three days later, Cabinet approved vaccination for all 12–15-year-olds.
On 19 August, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced the decision publicly, saying: “Many of us are parents ourselves and take this duty of making decisions about other people’s children extremely seriously, but it is safe, and it’s the right thing to do.”
The rollout began on 1 September. Five days later, CV-TAG member Helen Petousis-Harris raised concerns that myocarditis risk was not being included in informed-consent materials or after-care sheets.
The Government later required two doses for teenagers to qualify as “vaccinated” under the Vaccine Pass system, despite CV-TAG again raising the increased myocarditis risk following dose two in younger people and questioning two-dose requirements for under-18s.
Reality Check Radio co-founder Alia Bland said the figures demanded answers from those responsible.
“These aren’t abstract numbers. That’s 311,257 New Zealand teenagers who received a second dose after Ministers had been briefed about the myocarditis risk.
“The question Ministers need to answer is why teenagers and their parents weren’t given the same picture of that risk that Government had received from its own experts.”
On 17 November, 26-year-old Rory Nairn died from myocarditis following his first Pfizer vaccination.
Following Nairn’s vaccine-related death, Bloomfield issued a directive to health professionals on 15 December requiring the myocarditis risk to be discussed with people receiving the vaccine.
That was four months after Ministers had been briefed in detail about the risk.
Voices for Freedom Head of Legal Katie Ashby-Koppens said the documents raised serious informed-consent questions.
“Informed consent requires people to be given information about material risks before they make their decision. These documents raise serious questions about whether that happened here.
“These young people should now be offered appropriate cardiac assessment, including access to cardiologist consultation and testing.”
The full investigation and supporting timeline examine what Government experts knew, when Ministers were informed, what decisions followed, and what teenagers and their parents were told.
Image credit: Ed Us
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