The New Zealand authorities asked the courts on Tuesday, December 6, to entrust them with the custody of a baby whose parents oppose a surgical operation intended to save his life. The reason: they fear that they will receive blood from donors vaccinated against Covid-19. They claim to have taken legal action “taking into account the best interests of the child” and after “long conversations” with the family.
The four-month-old infant suffers according to his mother from pulmonary valve stenosis, a heart problem requiring surgery. Except that the intervention was delayed because the parents demand that the blood which could be transfused to the child comes from donors who have not received any messenger RNA vaccine against Covid-19.
Their request was rejected, as hospitals in New Zealand do not separate blood donated by vaccinated people from that of non-vaccinated people, neither category presenting more risks than the other. If the court grants the health authorities’ request, the parents will retain their authority over the child except for medical care.
