A GP in Kildare, who described the pandemic as ‘a hoax’, has told the Irish Daily Mail four other GPs from around the country have been in touch to congratulate him.
And the 71-year-old now says the Medical Council is trying to ‘strike him off’ over his stance.
When asked how he would react to local people who want the jab, Dr Gerard Waters said: ‘If anyone is stupid enough to get the vaccine, they’re entitled to get it.’ He said he will not stand in the their way but they can go to another GP.
Dr Waters, of Whitethorn Clinic in Celbridge, is refusing to refer his patients for COVID-19 tests and will not administer the vaccine once it becomes available to his practice.
Describing himself as a ‘conscientious objector’, he sparked outrage when he issued a statement to RTÉ’s Liveline outlining his opinions, which fly in the face of NPHET’s guidelines. The head of the HSE Paul Reid described his comments as ‘quite shocking’.
Dr Waters refused to speak live on air with Joe Duffy, but he told the Mail: ‘The Medical Council are investigating me with a view of striking me off. This is going on since last October. They’re investigating me for undermining the guidelines from the Department of Health.
‘They want me to toe the line which I refuse to do.’
The GP, who has been a doctor for more than 40 years, said he will not step down silently from his practice and will take the Medical Council to court if he has to. Since his statement was read out on Liveline, Dr Waters said four other GPs from around the country have been in touch to ‘congratulate’ him.
Another GP, Dr Pat Morrissey, in Limerick, said he too has reservations about the vaccine and as a result said: ‘I’m a pariah among my colleagues.’