WELLINGTON, a New Zealand court on Wednesday took temporary custody of a sick infant whose parents blocked life-saving heart surgery because potential blood donors may be vaccinated against COVID - 19.
The Auckland High Court ordered six month old Baby W to be placed under partial guardianship - allowing an urgent operation to correct a heart disorder known as pulmonary valve stenosis to go ahead.
The parents of the baby had blocked the procedure on the grounds that any blood transfused could have come from a donor who had been injected with an mRNA vaccine.
The court said in a statement that the proposed treatment is in the baby's best interests.
The parents will be informed at all reasonable times of the nature and progress of Baby W's condition and treatment the ruling stated.
The case highlighted the dangers of vaccine misinformation in New Zealand.
Health New Zealand spokesman Mike Shepherd said that it was a difficult situation for all involved. The decision to make an application like this to the court is always made with the best interests of the child in mind. The baby is being treated at Auckland's Starship Children's Hospital.