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'''Taylor Winterstein''' is a Samoan-Australian online influencer and [[anti-vaxxer]]. Winterstein is notable for her anti-vaccination stance, coming under fire in a number of South Pacific countries for this. She describes herself as 'fired up' by social injustice, 'lives' for holistic health, and 'thrives' on self-education. Winterstein's only known qualification is "Integrative Nutrition Health Coach"<ref>https://tayswaymovement.com.au/about/</ref>, which is not listed as a recognised medical qualification in Australia.<ref>https://healthengine.com.au/info/australian-fellowship-qualifications</ref> Winterstein's seminars have also been called a "public health threat" by government health representatives in [[Samoa]].<ref>https://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=12231490</ref><ref>https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/114533038/the-underground-network-of-kiwis-who-fight-antivaxx-propaganda</ref>
'''Taylor Winterstein''' is the Samoan-Australian wife of Australian football league player [[Frank Winterstein]]. Taylor Winterstein is most notable for her public [[anti-vaxxer]] stance. A self-styled online influencer, Winterstein has been heavily criticised in a number of South Pacific and Australasian countries for her antivaxxer rhetoric, and her seminars have been called a "public health threat" by government health representatives in [[Samoa]].{{R|"seminar_cancelled"}}{{R|"kiwi_fight_antivax"}} Winterstein's only known qualification is "Integrative Nutrition Health Coach"{{R|"qual_claim"}}, which is not listed as a recognised medical qualification in Australia.{{R|"australian_medical_qualifications"}}

Winterstein describes herself as 'fired up' by social injustice, 'lives' for holistic health, and 'thrives' on self-education.{{R|"qual_claim"}}


Winterstein is married to NRL (Australian [[rugby league]]) star [[Frank Winterstein]].
Winterstein is married to NRL (Australian [[rugby league]]) star [[Frank Winterstein]].
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== References ==
== References ==
{{Reflist|30em|refs=
{{Reflist|30em|refs=

<ref name="seminar_cancelled">{{Cite news|url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=12231490|title=Wife of NRL star cancels anti-vaccination events in NZ, Samoa |last=|first=|date=2019-05-16|work=NZ Herald|language=en|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190910073018/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=12231490|archive-date=2019-09-10|publisher=NZ Herald}}</ref>

<ref name="kiwi_fight_antivax">{{Cite news|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/114533038/the-underground-network-of-kiwis-who-fight-antivaxx-propaganda|title=The underground network of Kiwis who fight anti-vaxx propaganda|last=Duff|first=Michelle|date=2019-09-07|work=Stuff|language=en|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190910181156/https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/114533038/the-underground-network-of-kiwis-who-fight-antivaxx-propaganda|archive-date=2019-09-10|publisher=Stuff.co.nz}}</ref>

<ref name="qual_claim">{{Cite web|url=https://tayswaymovement.com.au/about/|title=About|last=Winterstein|first=Taylor|date=2019-12-06|website=Tays Ways Movement|publisher=Self-published Australia|language=en|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191206071332/https://tayswaymovement.com.au/about/|archive-date=2019-12-06}}</ref>

<ref name="australian_medical_qualifications">{{Cite web|url=https://healthengine.com.au/info/australian-fellowship-qualifications|title=Australian Medical Qualifications|last=|first=|date=2018-04-10|website=HealthEngine|publisher=Self-published Australia|language=en|url-status=live|archive-url=https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20180409163626/https://healthengine.com.au/info/Australian-Fellowship-Qualifications|archive-date=2018-04-10}}</ref>


<ref name="purple">{{Cite news|url=https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/5992459/anti-vax-football-wag-taylor-winterstein-in-purple-powders-scheme/|title=Anti-vax football WAG Taylor Winterstein in purple powders scheme|last=Hall|first=Bianca|date=2019-03-25|work=The Canberra Times|language=en|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190530012544/https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/5992459/anti-vax-football-wag-taylor-winterstein-in-purple-powders-scheme/|archive-date=2019-05-30|publisher=Australian Community Media}}</ref>
<ref name="purple">{{Cite news|url=https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/5992459/anti-vax-football-wag-taylor-winterstein-in-purple-powders-scheme/|title=Anti-vax football WAG Taylor Winterstein in purple powders scheme|last=Hall|first=Bianca|date=2019-03-25|work=The Canberra Times|language=en|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190530012544/https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/5992459/anti-vax-football-wag-taylor-winterstein-in-purple-powders-scheme/|archive-date=2019-05-30|publisher=Australian Community Media}}</ref>

Revision as of 07:40, 6 December 2019

Taylor Winterstein
Born
Samoa[1]
NationalitySamoan-Australian[2]
OccupationSocial media influencer & Alt "health warrior"[3]
Known forFootball WAG and anti-vaxxer
SpouseFrank Winterstein[4]

Taylor Winterstein is the Samoan-Australian wife of Australian football league player Frank Winterstein. Taylor Winterstein is most notable for her public anti-vaxxer stance. A self-styled online influencer, Winterstein has been heavily criticised in a number of South Pacific and Australasian countries for her antivaxxer rhetoric, and her seminars have been called a "public health threat" by government health representatives in Samoa.[5][6] Winterstein's only known qualification is "Integrative Nutrition Health Coach"[7], which is not listed as a recognised medical qualification in Australia.[8]

Winterstein describes herself as 'fired up' by social injustice, 'lives' for holistic health, and 'thrives' on self-education.[7]

Winterstein is married to NRL (Australian rugby league) star Frank Winterstein.

Workshops and life-coaching programs

Tickets to Winterstein's workshops such as 'Making Informed Choices', cost A$200 per head where they promote scepticism about vaccinating children and raise fears about so-called "vaccine injuries". In an attempt to counter the Australian state and federal no-jab, no-play laws - the workshops also canvass anti-vaxxer parents' options for daycare and preschool.[9] Winterstein has been critical of those who say they cannot afford the workshop entry fee,[10] describing those followers as having a "limiting belief".[4]

In 2019, Winterstein had planned tours of Samoa, New Zealand and Australia,[9] but the Samoan part of the tour was cancelled.[1]

Anti-vaccination activism

Winterstein has no medical qualifications,[11][12] but claims she has done her "own research on vaccines" on the internet, and that she had "vaccinated" her son "at least 6 times a day with breastmilk".[13] Due to her belief that vaccinations cause allergies, she prefers to call herself an "ex-vaxxer" and has chosen not to vaccinate her two boys aged 10-months and 3-years old.[10]

Winterstein urges parents to question the safety of childhood vaccinations and says parents are being bullied and pressured by GPs to give their children vaccinations.[9][4] She says she is a "big believer that you do not need a qualification to know how to critically think for yourself".[9]

Melbourne surgeon John Cunningham, who was awarded an Order of Australia for his work promoting vaccinations, said Winterstein represented the "sinister version of the modern mumtrepreneur". He said her efforts to hitch onto the anti-vaccination crowd were morally corrupt.[9][12]

Australian Medical Association NSW president Kean-Seng Lim rubbished Winterstein's planned anti-vax workshop tour to Samoa saying: "To go to a third world country, to spread this in third world countries, is just irresponsible".[14] "When you have a country which is full of small villages, it’s actually hard to get out there and vaccinate people, and if you have someone who is making it even harder still, that makes it harder", he said.[15]

Royal Australian College of General Practitioners president Harry Nespolon suggested asking parents who they should turn to for health advice: "I would be asking people, who would they trust more with their child, their local doctor or a WAG".[15]

Vaxxed movie tour

In 2018, Winterstein was selected as the "Australian face" of the second tour of the anti-vaccination film Vaxxed. British anti-vaccination campaigner Polly Tommey, one of the producers of the film, announced Mrs Winterstein and her twin sister Stevie Nupier will be the "glamorous, young, intelligent women to take on and lead the people of Australia".[13]

Vaccination activity in Samoa

Prior to the outbreak

Samoa had one of the lowest vaccination rates in the world.[16] In the midst of a vaccination crisis in June 2019, just months before a measles outbreak, Winterstein privately met with fellow well-established anti-vaxxer Robert Kennedy Jr. in Samoa.[17] Kennedy was invited to Samoa for independence celebrations and TVNZ reported that US Embassy staff had facilitated his meeting with Winterstein,[18] but Kennedy disputed this saying they met by chance when at the same resort.[16]

Ministry of Health Director-General Take Naseri described Winterstein's planned seminar "Making Informed Choices" in Samoa as a "public health threat". US vaccine specialist and paediatrician Peter Hotez criticised the anti-vax movement targeting the small country saying: "We’re going to see them continue this predatory behaviour, identifying communities, island nations even whole countries in order to drive down vaccination coverage so it's a very serious threat now to global public health."[19]

Nikki Turner, director of the Immunisation Advisory Centre at the University of Auckland accused the anti-vaccine movement of ramping up their activity in Samoa when the vaccination rates had dropped, particularly on social media. She said: "Anti-vaxxers arrive in big numbers when there’s concerns and lack of trust and the core of the problem that is happening in Samoa is lack of trust, lack of trust in vaccines in health service delivery."[19]

Winterstein's anti-vaccination seminar in Apia was cancelled after the Samoan government backlash.[16] Winterstein claimed she was not encouraging non-vaccination, but rather, "informed consent, freedom of choice and vaccine injury awareness".[1] Medical experts warned that the deadly measles outbreak in Samoa is a sign of the expansion of an increasingly predatory anti-vaccination movement.[2] This anti-vaccination movement has been blamed for the low immunisation rates in Samoa.[18]

The 2019 Samoan measles epidemic

A measles outbreak was declared on 16 October[16] and led to the Samoan government declaring a state of emergency on 15 November 2019 and to the introduction of an emergency mandatory vaccination strategy.[1] Under the emergency measures children and adults were obliged to vaccinate, while kindergartens, schools and the university were closed. Unvaccinated pregnant women were barred from attending work.[20] The government began a mass vaccination campaign with the assistance of dozens of nurses from New Zealand and Australia,[21] and experts from the Centers for Disease Control from the US.[16] The majority of those who had died were children under the age of five and infants.[22]

To assist in the mass vaccination measures, Samoa’s prime minister decreed that citizens "tie a red cloth or red flag in front of their houses and near the road to indicate that family members have not been vaccinated".[22]

As anti-vax activists doubled-down,[1] the Samoan government met resistance from anti-vaxxers to its emergency strategy, notably from Winterstein.[23][24] Helen Petousis-Harris, a vaccinologist at the University of Auckland, condemned those anti-vaxxers involved saying: "In a sense it’s a pro-death movement", adding that "We’ve got children dying and people are actively trying to stop people becoming vaccinated, and that vaccination is what’s going to prevent more deaths."[23]

Even though over 50 children had died, Winterstein claimed Samoan sick children were making a full recovery after using "simple and effective protocols" adding that "the media are still trying to rubbish and debunk".[1] She went online to recommend vitamin A as a strategy for those with measles. Immunologist Nikki Turner said vitamin A can be used as part of treatment but it is no cure.[19]

Winterstein likened the emergency mandatory vaccination strategy introduced after the outbreak to Nazi Germany,[20][1] saying Samoa is "in violation of the Nuremberg Code" by enforcing mandatory immunisation, and posted a #NaziSamoa hashtag on social media.[22][24] This is despite the Samoan Government ordering anti-vaccination advocates such as Winterstein to stop discouraging people from seeking vaccination, with the Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi suggesting imprisonment for anti-vaccination advocates.[1]

During the crisis, Samoa's Attorney-General Lemalu Hermann Retzlaff also warned against discouraging the vaccinations. He said "[Samoan] Law enforcement is open to receiving notice, complaints, or evidence of any person... discouraging or going as far as preventing our community from vaccination".[24]

Alfa PXP Royale

Winterstein used her website to sell, Alfa PXP Royale (PXP), which is ground up purple rice grown in Thailand.[9][3] It claims a number of health benefits and that it can help with pain, migraines, autism symptoms and improve eyesight[4][12] and wrinkles.[9] PXP has also made claims that it neutralises free radicals which are the root of cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer's, stroke and diabetes.[9] Melbourne surgeon John Cunningham said PXP was essentially ground-up rice that might as well come from a kitchen pantry, saying: "I don’t think giving people like that false hope and making money from it is acceptable."[4]

Purple rice, which is the same as black rice, can be purchased from supermarkets for around $10 a kilogram[9] but Winterstein sold PXP for up to $1000 a kilogram.[3] Customers could buy it cheaper if they signed up to sell the product, where there was also the prospect of bonuses and luxury rewards for resellers. Enzacta, the company behind PXP, lists its office as a postbox in Wyoming, USA which is also a depot for hundreds of other businesses.[9]

An Enzacta salesperson in New Zealand stated it was a multi-level marketing company. In March 2019, Winterstein announced that she was no longer selling PXP so as to focus on her workshops.[9]

Following a report on Winterstein by Australian television program A Current Affair, the product was removed from sale from her website.[12]

Online influencer

Winterstein brands her website and internet influence business as the 'Tay's Way Movement'.[9] She has 23,000 Instagram followers.[12] Winterstein claims: "I know for a FACT there are MANY high profile, 'influencers' on social media among the sport and wellness industry, who do not vaccinate their children but won’t publicly share their beliefs."[14]

One online program she presents is called 'An Hour of Power with Tay' where Winterstein asks her followers to "explore different options on how to build your child’s immune system naturally".[11]

In 2019, The Australian newspaper suggested that Winterstein is only getting traction with her health messages because of her status as the wife of an NRL player.[11]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Hendrie, Doug (2 December 2019). "Anti-vaccination advocates double down as measles kills 50 Samoan children". news GP. The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. Archived from the original on 2 December 2019.
  2. ^ a b Opray, Max (4 December 2019). "Samoa measles outbreak:". The Saturday Paper. Carlton, Vic: Schwartz Media. Archived from the original on 4 December 2019.
  3. ^ a b c Grimshaw, Tracy (18 April 2019). "Footy WAG's false hope". A Current Affair. Australia: Nine Digital Pty Ltd. Archived from the original on 18 April 2019.
  4. ^ a b c d e Molloy, Shannon (19 April 2019). "Doctor lashes anti-vaxxer's 'miracle' cure". The Daily Telegraph. News Corp Australia. Archived from the original on 2 December 2019.
  5. ^ "Wife of NRL star cancels anti-vaccination events in NZ, Samoa". NZ Herald. NZ Herald. 16 May 2019. Archived from the original on 10 September 2019.
  6. ^ Duff, Michelle (7 September 2019). "The underground network of Kiwis who fight anti-vaxx propaganda". Stuff. Stuff.co.nz. Archived from the original on 10 September 2019.
  7. ^ a b Winterstein, Taylor (6 December 2019). "About". Tays Ways Movement. Self-published Australia. Archived from the original on 6 December 2019.
  8. ^ "Australian Medical Qualifications". HealthEngine. Self-published Australia. 10 April 2018. Archived from the original on 10 April 2018.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Hall, Bianca (25 March 2019). "Anti-vax football WAG Taylor Winterstein in purple powders scheme". The Canberra Times. Australian Community Media. Archived from the original on 30 May 2019.
  10. ^ a b Kenna, Siobhan (2 March 2019). "NRL Wife Taylor WInterstein Launched Anti-Vax Workshops". 10 daily. Network Ten Pty Limited. Archived from the original on 30 March 2019.
  11. ^ a b c Overington, Caroline (16 March 2019). "Anti-vaxxers spruiking their silly ideas put lives at risk". The Australian. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 3 December 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  12. ^ a b c d e Golman, Lauren (21 November 2019). "Footy star's wife's new 'life coach' course worries experts". A Current Affair. Australia: Nine Digital Pty Ltd. Archived from the original on 4 December 2019.
  13. ^ a b Hansen, Jane (21 October 2017). "NRL star's wife a face of anti-vax movie". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 3 December 2019.
  14. ^ a b Coates, Sally (10 March 2019). "NRL star Frank Winterstein's wife Taylor slammed for spreading vaccination safety fears". The Daily Telegraph. News Corp Australia.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  15. ^ a b Sparke, Carmel (12 March 2019). "GPs bully parents into vax, claims social media blogger". AusDoc.PLUS. Australian Doctor Group. Archived from the original on 3 December 2019.
  16. ^ a b c d e Guarino, Ben; Satija, Neena; Sun, Lena H. (28 November 2019). "Deadly measles outbreak hits children in Samoa after anti-vaccine fears". The Washington Post. US. Archived from the original on 5 December 2019.
  17. ^ Schumaker, Erin (27 November 2019). "Low vaccination rate and deadly medical mistake led to Samoa measles outbreak". ABC News. US: Disney. Archived from the original on 30 November 2019.
  18. ^ a b Dreaver, Barbara (14 November 2019). "As child measles deaths mount in Samoa, anti-vax movement being blamed for outbreak". 1 News Now. NZ: TVNZ. Archived from the original on 5 December 2019.
  19. ^ a b c Bolger, Rosemary (4 December 2019). "'New normal': How a more robust, globalised anti-vax movement targeted Samoa". SBS News. Australia. Archived from the original on 4 December 2019.
  20. ^ a b "Masernepidemie: 22 Tote und 1.800 Infizierte auf Samoa". Deutsches Ärzteblatt (in German). Deutscher Ärzteverlag GmbH. 25 November 2019. Archived from the original on 27 November 2019.
  21. ^ "Samoa measles epidemic: Death toll reaches 39". Radio New Zealand. 28 November 2019. Archived from the original on 28 November 2019.
  22. ^ a b c Sutton, Candace (4 December 2019). "Samoa's 'Black Death' tactics over measles". The Advertiser. South Australia: News Corp. Archived from the original on 5 December 2019.
  23. ^ a b Sydney, Bernard Lagan (29 November 2019). "Anti-vaxxers blamed for Samoan measles epidemic". The Times. UK: Times Newspapers Ltd. ISSN 0140-0460. Archived from the original on 3 December 2019.
  24. ^ a b c Sutton, Candace (26 November 2019). "WAG Taylor Winterstein compares vaccinations in Samoa to Nazi Germany after 32 people die from measles". The New Zealand Herald. NZME. ISSN 1170-0777. Archived from the original on 28 November 2019.
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