Coronavirus vaccine opponents rally in Adelaide against potential for coercive jabs

Hundreds of Adelaide protesters against the COVID vaccine have been urged to join major parties and “demand to be heard”.

People concerned about mandatory COVID vaccinations rallied outside Parliament House on North Terrace in Adelaide on Saturday. Picture: Tom Huntley

Families, the young and the old were among hundreds of people rallying in Adelaide against mandatory COVID vaccines and who were urged to join major political parties.

The rally, which went from Victoria Square to Parliament House today, comes just 48 hours ahead of the rollout of the first COVID vaccines in South Australia on Monday.

Holding placards with “my body, my choice” and “mandatory vaccination = mass control” the protesters heard from speakers warning of potential health risks of the vaccine and potential for medical coercion.

“I have no intention for myself or my family to be a guinea pig … we have no idea what this vaccine may cause down the track,” one speaker said.

“This is my body and I choose what goes into it … form a group and join the Liberal or Labor Party and demand to be heard.

“We have been sticking our heads in the sand for far too long, we’ve allowed these politicians to do our thinking for us, it’s time to get together, get involved and starting making some noise.”

The event was part of a national stand against the vaccine rollout.

20/02/21 – Anti-vaxxers rally at Parliament House on North Terrace in Adelaide. Picture: Tom Huntley

The vaccines will not be mandatory in SA but will be key in lifting COVID restrictions.

From Monday SA health officials aim to vaccinate at least 1726 of the high risk staff – such as medi-hotel workers – together with an undisclosed number of frontline health workers.

Vaccination of the general public is expected to begin from the middle of the year.

The Commonwealth Government will supply enough doses for 60,000 South Australians to have a Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine twice over 28 days in the first phase of the rollout.

Cailie Manser, 23 and Matt Mercer, 22 from the Clare Valley at the Adelaide rally against forced COVID vaccination. Picture: Renato Castello

Cailie Manser, 23 and Matt Mercer, 22, travelled from Clare Valley for the rally with concerns about the safety of the vaccine and potential for coercive inoculation.

“I’m not anti-vax, I do believe they (vaccines) have a place, but we are all different and we all require different treatment,” she said.

“My argument is why should we be threatened to take something that is a new experimental technology.

“For the government to push me into it if I were an aged care worker, or healthcare worker, seems very wrong.”

Helen, 37, of Willunga was concerned that she could lose her job in education if she did not have the vaccine.

“People should have a choice … I want to keep my job and keep my kids away from it if I can,” she said.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration granted approval for the Pfizer vaccine on January 25 and the AstraZeneca vaccine on February 16.

The TGA will be publishing a weekly COVID vaccine safety report.