Blackmore's Vitamin Mogul still waiting for NovaVax
Blackmore confirmed had opted to wait for the Novavax vaccine for medical reasons.
By Andrew Hornery 8 January 2022 Sydney Morning Herald
Alarm bells have been ringing loud and clear among well-heeled party guests who enjoyed the hospitality of vitamin mogul Marcus Blackmore and his wife Caroline last month after the couple, along with daughter Imogen, came down with COVID-19 in the days following a series of lavish soirées at their spectacular northern beaches mansion.
A week before Christmas the Blackmores threw an “Isle of Mustique” themed 60th birthday for Caroline, complete with pop-up discotheque, free-flowing champagne and Motown performers. They followed it up the next night with a neighbourhood Christmas drinks party for their local community around Balgowlah.
There were about 60 guests at each party, filling the expansive multi-million-dollar designer home and its waterfront gardens.
“Caroline had a great birthday, but I didn’t know half the people who came for the Christmas party, we just wanted to do something nice for the local community,” Marcus told PS.
“Look it’s [COVID-19] everywhere, this thing is out of control, but it wasn’t like that a month ago,” Blackmore told PS, explaining the family followed “all the advice” to contact guests when they tested positive to the virus.
While Caroline and Imogen were both vaccinated, Blackmore confirmed he had not been, having opted to wait for the Novavax vaccine for medical reasons. He denied he was an “anti-vaxxer”, but admitted to being frustrated by the pandemic response.
Several of the Blackmore’s guests PS spoke with admitted they were disappointed to learn their host had not been vaccinated after receiving an email from the Blackmores alerting them to their COVID-19 diagnosis and advising them to look out for symptoms.
“We just wanted to do the right thing, that was the advice we were given to inform our guests. Caroline and I had a few days in bed, but we are feeling a lot better now, though there are times when I’m still feeling a bit flat,” the influential businessman said, adding he had an ample supply of vitamins and supplements at his disposal to see him through.
Blackmore revealed he had taken particular interest in alternative therapies to COVID as “there is not a vaccine for every virus” and he vented his frustration that health officials – from the Health Minister down – were not looking far or wide enough for other solutions.
“All those people protesting, a lot of them are just business owners trying to survive, but they’ve all been labelled anti-vaxxers, when they’re not. That’s unfair. I have been in contact with the health minister and officials trying to find out when Novavax will be available, it’s been very frustrating for many people,” he told PS.
Blackmore is the son of founder Maurice Blackmore, a pioneer naturopath who established Blackmores in 1932. Marcus Blackmore took the helm in 1975, two years before his father died, building the group to be Australia’s No. 1 vitamins brand.
He departed from the Blackmores board more than a year ago, but in the past few months the keen yachtie, who has completed many Sydney to Hobarts, has made headlines for waging an acrimonious battle with Blackmores chairman Anne Templeman-Jones, the feud filling the financial press.
Original article here
Well he no longer needs the vaccine. Inviting all those vaccinated people was the key to finally getting infected, well done sir. Guests being a bit peeved that he might have been already infected as he was hosting should be comforted to think it could have been one of them. But it likely was a fine going off for Caroline.
Obviously, the Kevins and Karens glossed over the fact that his wife and daughter were vaccinated.
Anyway, there was no mandate that they must attend those drinkies.