Czech folk singer dies after intentionally catching COVID-19
The son of a Czech folk singer says his mother, who was opposed to getting vaccinated against COVID-19, has died after she deliberately contracted the disease.
Hana Horka, of the folk band Asonance, died on Sunday after intentionally exposing herself to the coronavirus at home, her son Jan Rek told CNN affiliate CNN Prima News. She was 57.
Rek says his mother voluntarily exposed herself to COVID-19 after he and her husband, who are both vaccinated, caught it before Christmas.
Rek said Horka wanted to get sick so she would not be required to get vaccinated.
"My mom wanted to get sick so she gets the COVID pass," Rek said. "She said to me, and even publicly, she wants to get infected so she is done with COVID."
In the Czech Republic, proof of vaccination or a recent COVID-19 infection is required for travel, accessing cultural and sports facilities, and for visiting bars and restaurants.
Rek said his mother was getting incorrect information about the virus "from her social circle," and was posting anti-vaccination sentiments online.
He added that Horka was "ignoring on purpose some facts and comments that were disproving her arguments."
"She wanted to get sick on purpose," Rek said.
While Rek said that his mother "wasn't extremely against vaccination," she was open to the idea of choice.
"She was living by even at times unrelated information concerning health in general, but there has always been this underlying thought that nature will take care of everything and only we know ourselves the best," he said.
Rek said he is sharing the story to warn others about the risk the Omicron variant poses to those who are unvaccinated.
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