Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says she believes "everyone would be disappointed" about a Canterbury doctor recorded giving out medical certificates as COVID-19 vaccine exemptions.
A Newshub undercover operation revealed by national correspondent Patrick Gower revealed Jonie Girouard, a registered GP who runs a weight loss clinic in Kaiapoi, coaches her patients on how to use her certificates to avoid vaccine mandates.
The Ministry of Health (MoH) has the only authority to issue COVID-19 vaccine exemptions. MoH, along with WorkSafe and the Health and Disability Commissioner, is investigating, and sources have told Gower police could become involved.
Dr Girouard, who in Newshub's undercover footage could be heard describing the vaccine as a "horrible, horrible medicine", refused to comment, telling Gower she's "not talking to any journalists".
"I think everyone would be disappointed and upset to see a health professional who is undertaking activity in this way that puts others at risk," Ardern told reporters on Thursday.
"I understand the Ministry of Health is working on this issue as we speak.
"What I would say is that actually, if a medical professional is not vaccinated, they should actually not be operating.
"We have a requirement of our health workforce now that they are vaccinated and so that is one extra layer of protection right now to ensure people are not being given this misleading information, misinformation, or indeed seeing people act fraudulently."
The Government has mandated COVID-19 vaccination for about 40 percent of the workforce and the deadline for health workers has already passed - they had to have their first dose by October 30 and their second dose by December 1.
Vaccination helps to reduce the likelihood of infection and hospitalisation, according to data released by the Ministry of Health.
Ardern said medical professionals shouldn't be able to issue medical certificates as vaccination exemptions without Ministry of Health approval.
"They shouldn't be, frankly, and as I say, the Ministry of Health is as we speak looking very closely into what is occurring here," she said in Wellington.
"I do want to give people reassurance though: this appears to be the actions of some individuals and we'll be paying very close attention to what's happened and see whether or not there are other ways we can ensure it isn't replicated.
"I will leave those officials who are involved in the situation to do what they need to do on this."
Ardern also commented on preliminary lab results from Pfizer, which suggest a third booster dose of their mRNA vaccine may be able to stop the Omicron variant in its tracks.
According to their press release, people who had received a booster jab neutralised the Omicron variant to levels comparable to those observed for earlier variants after two doses.
The Government announced last month that Pfizer booster shots will be available from November 29 for those who had their second dose six months ago.
"Having read some of the reports off the back of comments made by the CEO of Pfizer, early suggestion seems to be that the Pfizer vaccine will have some positive effect and protective factors against Omicron," Ardern said.
"It does appear to be early days, though.
"I believe the reference to boosters will simply be because for most parts of the world, they're at the point where they're now rolling out boosters.
"I don't believe that it's the booster itself that is protective - it's the vaccine, but in order for the vaccine to maintain its efficacy, most countries are now requiring a third dose.
"The third dose just essentially brings up the immunity level back up to the level that the second does."
