The High Court’s decision that vaccine mandates for police officers and defence force personnel are unlawful and not justified must be a wake-up call for the Government over every other vaccine mandate given Omicron is in the community, says Opposition Leader Christopher Luxon.

“With the vaccine mandates ruled unlawful, all of these police officers and defence force personnel should be back on the beat and serving Kiwis again.

“The judgment has implications for vaccine mandates more generally.

“Omicron has changed the game. Vaccine mandates made sense against Delta, because the vaccine was very effective at preventing infection and transmission. They make much less sense against Omicron.

“National’s view is that mandates should be progressively phased out as soon as possible once we are through the peak of Omicron.

“Kiwis have done the right thing – getting vaccinated in record numbers and getting boosted. Now they’re looking for a pathway back to normality.”

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