You have to hand it to National. They have no scruples. Nothing matters but winning. As a recent social media post confirms.
Yesterday National’s social media team posted this tweet:
But the tweet left out important context provided in the answer:
… day 3 testing is not compulsory but anyone leaving managed isolation must return a negative day 12 test. If a test is refused people can be required to remain in isolation for up to 28 days.
This is, how you say, misleading? The clear implication is that not undergoing a test is consequence free whereas the reality is that if you do not provide a test on day 12 you can be required to remain for up to four more weeks.
And the claim that there was no data about the number of tests was also, how you say, incorrect.
The spectre of compulsory testing had previously been raised by none other than Shane Reti himself. From Radio New Zealand on July 22 this year:
The Health Ministry has denied claims from National’s new health spokesperson, Dr Shane Reti, that the government is carrying out illegal medical examinations in isolation facilities.
In a release today, Dr Reti said the law allows clinicians to ask about symptoms, take temperatures, listen to the chest and take swabs.
He said it was worrying to hear that other examinations including blood tests and pulse recordings were also happening, and consent was only being requested for swab tests.
“National supports mandatory coronavirus testing in isolation, but it is important care is taken to make sure no one is being subjected to unlawful examinations,” Dr Reti said.
“[Health Minister Chris Hipkins] claimed in Parliament that people are consented for medical procedures while in isolation. But written questions show that consent is only being requested for swab tests,” he said.
“Isolation is a captive environment with altered autonomy, so great care must be taken with medical examinations beyond what the legislation allows.”
I thought Reti’s rise to prominence signalled a new more constructive approach to Covid by National. Appears not.
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