Clive Palmer has insisted he doesn’t regret the decision not to get the Covid-19 jab despite admitting Australian doctors wanted to put him into intensive care after he tested positive.
The eccentric billionaire and United Australia Party founder on Thursday announced the policy of freezing the fuel excise to ease the pain of soaring petrol prices.
But he also answered questions about being taken to hospital last month with double pneumonia and the Delta strain of Covid.
He was asked about whether he regretted the decision not to get vaccinated, considering revelations doctors wanted to put him into ICU when he was taken to Pindara Hospital on February 27.
“You said you might have nearly died; do you regret not having the vaccine?” a reporter asked.
“No, of course I don’t,” he said, adding restrictions on the unvaxjmtzywccinated no longer applied to him.
“I’ve now got a certificate from my doctor and endorsed by Queensland Health that I can go into a restaurant, I can do anything because I’ve had Covid.”
Australia’s health department says Covid vaccines are “very effective” at stopping people from becoming very sick if they catch Covid.
Mr Palmer instead said he wanted to thank a team of US-based specialists who treated Donald Trump.
They fast-tracked Mr Palmer onto a US drug trial with a mix of antivirals that included ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine.
Both of these drugs are not approved for treating Covid by the Therapeutic Goods Association.
Hydroxychloroquine has well known risks including toxic effects on the heart, irreversible eye damage and lowering blood sugar levels, which can potentially lead to a coma.
“I want to say thank you to the doctors that treated me; thank you for giving me the treatment, not the vaccine,” Mr Palmer said.
“Within five days of receiving the treatments that are available, I was fine.”
He said he didn’t agree with vaccine mandates.
“I’m not a doctor, but I’m saying the big point for us is there should be freedom of choice, there should be informed consent. If people want to be vaccinated, they should be able to get vaccinated … they shouldn’t lose their job if they’re not.”
