The New Zealand government’s new “pandemic plan” grants police the power to “detain and restrain” members of the public for forced vaccinations, among a raft of new authoritarian measures.

The “framework for action” was updated in July 2024 and includes “special powers” authorized by the Minister of Health which will apply in the case of a pandemic declared by the World Health Organization or an emergency declared under the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002.

Under the special powers, police will have the authority to detain and restrain members of the public for forced vaccinations by medical staff.

Specifically, police will have the power “to do anything reasonably necessary (including the use of force) to help a medical officer of health or any person authorised by the medical officer of health in the exercise or performance of powers or functions under sections 70 or 71.”

The government will also grant medical officers the power to “detain, isolate, or quarantine” any member of the public for any reason related to public health.

Members of the public may be “isolated or quarantined until they have been medically examined and found to be free from infections disease” and “until they have undergone such preventative treatment as the medical officer of health prescribes.” Credit: @jengleruk; @HopeRising19
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