New Zealand court takes guardianship of baby after parents refuse vaccinated blood for heart surgery
New Zealand's High Court will take temporary guardianship of the baby until he has recovered from the surgery. (CNN-Fiona Goodall/Getty Images)
A critically-ill six-month-old baby will be placed under the temporary guardianship of New Zealand's High Court after his parents refused to allow him to undergo lifesaving heart surgery using blood from people vaccinated against COVID-19.
Handing down the judgment on Wednesday, Justice Ian Gault ruled that the boy, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, would remain under the court's guardianship until he had recovered from the surgery.
The court also appointed two doctors as its agents to oversee issues around the operation and the administration of blood, according to court documents.
The baby has a congenital heart defect and needs urgent open-heart surgery to survive -- but the operation has been delayed by his parents' insistence that only blood from donors not vaccinated against COVID-19 be used.
The case has drawn attention to the ramifications of vaccine misinformation two years into global inoculation drives.
The baby's parents believed there were "spike proteins in the blood of people who have been vaccinated and that these proteins were causing unexpected deaths relating to transfusions," according to the judgment.
The parents had previously demanded the New Zealand Blood Service take a donation from a person chosen by the family, but the agency refused and said it does not make a distinction between vaccinated and unvaccinated donors.
The court heard that Dr Kirsten Finucane, the chief pediatric cardiac surgeon at Auckland's Starship Hospital, had told the parents it was "simply impractical to have a directed donor."
Finucane had consulted with other experts and found that a cardiac bypass without using blood or blood products would not be an option for the baby's surgery, the court heard.
With the parents and doctors unable to agree on the infant's treatment and blood transfusion, the New Zealand Health Service made an application under the Care of Children Act in November, requesting the court to appoint a doctor to take temporary guardianship of the baby for his medical care only.
In a statement, the parents' lawyer Sue Grey said they had spent "many hours" considering their options after the court ruling and had concluded there was "no time to appeal."
"The priority for the family is to enjoy a peaceful time with their baby until the operation, and to support him through the operation," she said.
Following the court's ruling, Dr. Mike Shepherd, Auckland's interim director of the New Zealand Health Service, said its decisions were "always made with the best interests of the child in mind."
"We acknowledge the decision made by the court, following our application in relation to the baby's surgery and recognize this is a difficult situation for all involved," Shepherd said in a statement.
New Zealand has relatively high vaccination rates for COVID-19, with about 90% of people aged 12 or above having had two shots and over 70% of eligible adults having received a first booster shot, according to its ministry of health.
COVID-19 COVERAGE
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
WHO: COVID-19 still an emergency but nearing 'inflection' point
The coronavirus remains a global health emergency, the World Health Organization chief said Monday, after a key advisory panel found the pandemic may be nearing an 'inflection point' where higher levels of immunity can lower virus-related deaths.
Federal departments failed to spend $38B on promised programs, services last year
The federal government failed to spend tens of billions of dollars in the last fiscal year on promised programs and services, including new military equipment, affordable housing and support for veterans.
Quebec Cardinal Marc Ouellet set to retire after overseeing Vatican's bishops' office
Marc Ouellet, the Quebec cardinal who oversaw the Vatican's powerful bishops' office and has been recently accused of sexual misconduct, is retiring.
NDP to call for emergency debate in House of Commons over private health care
Federal New Democrat Leader Jagmeet Singh says he will call on the House of Commons to hold an emergency debate on the privatization of health care.
23 vehicles towed, dozens of tickets issued as rally marks one-year anniversary of 'Freedom Convoy' in Ottawa
OPS and Ottawa Bylaw officers issued 192 parking tickets and 67 Provincial Offences Notices in downtown Ottawa this weekend, as people gathered marked the one-year anniversary of the 'Freedom Convoy'.
Boris Johnson says Putin said he could hit him with missile
Former U.K. prime minister Boris Johnson said that President Vladimir Putin didn't seem serious about avoiding war in the days before Russia invaded Ukraine, and at one point told the British leader it would be easy to kill him with a missile.
Lisa Loring, original Wednesday Addams actress, dead at 64
Lisa Loring, best known as the first actress to play Wednesday Addams in the original 'The Addams Family' sitcom, has died at the age of 64.
Once-in-a-lifetime discovery: Indigenous jacket more than a century old turns up in small U.K. town
When 1990s suede fringe jackets started making a comeback last year, a U.K.-based vintage clothing company decided to order four tonnes of suede from a supplier in the United States. Along with that shipment came a once-in-a lifetime discovery.
Parliamentarians return to House of Commons facing rocky economic year
Economic matters will be top of mind for parliamentarians as they return to Ottawa to kick off a new year in federal politics.
Canada
-
Quebec Cardinal Marc Ouellet set to retire after overseeing Vatican's bishops' office
Marc Ouellet, the Quebec cardinal who oversaw the Vatican's powerful bishops' office and has been recently accused of sexual misconduct, is retiring.
-
Quebec basic income program begins, but advocates say many low-income people excluded
Anti-poverty activists are praising the Quebec basic income program as a good step toward helping people meet their basic needs — but say strict eligibility criteria exclude many of the province’s lowest-income residents.
-
Funeral for former Ontario lieutenant-governor David Onley to be held today
A funeral is set to take place today in Toronto for former Ontario lieutenant-governor David Onley.
-
Emotional prayer room ceremony marks 6th anniversary of Quebec mosque shooting
An emotional ceremony took place today marking the sixth anniversary of the Quebec City mosque shooting, held for the first time in the same room where many of the victims were killed. Six men died that night: Mamadou Tanou Barry, Ibrahima Barry, Khaled Belkacemi, Abdelkrim Hassane, Azzeddine Soufiane and Aboubaker Thabti were gunned down not long after evening prayers at the suburban Quebec City mosque.
-
23 vehicles towed, dozens of tickets issued as rally marks one-year anniversary of 'Freedom Convoy' in Ottawa
OPS and Ottawa Bylaw officers issued 192 parking tickets and 67 Provincial Offences Notices in downtown Ottawa this weekend, as people gathered marked the one-year anniversary of the 'Freedom Convoy'.
-
Former Mississauga, Ont. mayor Hazel McCallion dies at 101
Former Mississauga, Ont. mayor Hazel McCallion, nicknamed 'Hurricane Hazel,' has died. She was 101 years old. Premier Doug Ford said McCallion died peacefully at her home early Sunday morning.
World
-
Indonesian Muslims protest Qur'an burning in Sweden
Hundreds of Indonesian Muslims marched to the heavily guarded Swedish Embassy in the country's capital on Monday to denounce the recent desecration of Islam's holy book by far-right activists in Sweden and the Netherlands.
-
Australia mining company sorry for losing radioactive device
A mining corporation apologized for losing a highly radioactive capsule over a 1,400-kilometre stretch of Western Australia, as authorities combed parts of the road looking for the tiny but dangerous substance.
-
Virginia school where 6-year-old shot teacher reopens with increased security
The Virginia elementary school where a 6-year-old boy shot his teacher reopened Monday with stepped-up security and a new administrator, as nervous parents and students expressed optimism about a return to the classroom.
-
Suicide bomber kills 34, wounds 150 at mosque in Pakistan
A suicide bomber detonated explosives during crowded prayers at a mosque inside a police compound in Pakistan on Monday, causing the roof to cave in. At least 34 people were killed and 150 wounded, officials said.
-
Spiralling violence in West Bank with Palestinian killed, U.S. Secretary of State visits
Israeli forces killed a Palestinian man in a flashpoint city in the occupied West Bank on Monday, the Palestinian Health Ministry said. The killing marks the latest bloodshed in spiralling violence that comes as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visits the region.
-
Boris Johnson says Putin said he could hit him with missile
Former U.K. prime minister Boris Johnson said that President Vladimir Putin didn't seem serious about avoiding war in the days before Russia invaded Ukraine, and at one point told the British leader it would be easy to kill him with a missile.
Politics
-
Parliamentarians return to House of Commons facing rocky economic year
Economic matters will be top of mind for parliamentarians as they return to Ottawa to kick off a new year in federal politics.
-
NDP to call for emergency debate in House of Commons over private health care
Federal New Democrat Leader Jagmeet Singh says he will call on the House of Commons to hold an emergency debate on the privatization of health care.
-
Federal departments failed to spend $38B on promised programs, services last year
The federal government failed to spend tens of billions of dollars in the last fiscal year on promised programs and services, including new military equipment, affordable housing and support for veterans.
Health
-
'COVID is not done,' Canadian infectious disease expert says ahead of WHO announcement
While RSV and flu cases steadily decline in Canada, the World Health Organization is set to announce on Monday whether it still considers COVID-19 a global health emergency, but one infectious disease specialist says we still need to keep an eye on the coronavirus.
-
What would it mean if WHO declares the COVID-19 global emergency over?
Monday could mark a major milestone in the history of the COVID-19 pandemic, as the World Health Organization stands poised to decide whether or not to declare an end to the global public health emergency.
-
Russian embassy says North Korea lifted lockdown in capital
Russia's embassy in North Korea says the country has eased stringent epidemic controls in capital Pyongyang that were placed during the past five days to slow the spread of respiratory illnesses.
Sci-Tech
-
YouTube star MrBeast helps 1,000 blind people see again by sponsoring cataract surgeries
YouTube superstar MrBeast is making the world clearer -- for at least 1,000 people. The content creator's latest stunt is paying for cataract removal for 1,000 people who were blind or near-blind but could not afford the surgery.
-
Bear on Mars? NASA satellite snaps a strange formation
What looks like a giant teddy bear’s face peering into space from the surface of Mars is actually a satellite image of some craters and a circular fracture, scientists say.
-
Nvidia CEO says AI will need regulation, social norms
Nvidia Corp Chief Executive Officer Jensen Huang on Tuesday said that the burgeoning field of artificial intelligence will create powerful tools that require legal regulation and social norms that have yet to be worked out.
Entertainment
-
Lisa Loring, original Wednesday Addams actress, dead at 64
Lisa Loring, best known as the first actress to play Wednesday Addams in the original 'The Addams Family' sitcom, has died at the age of 64.
-
'Avatar 2' tops box office for 7th weekend
'Avatar: The Way of Water' claimed the No. 1 spot on the domestic box office charts for the seventh weekend in a row with an additional $15.7 million, according to studio estimates on Sunday.
-
Trevor Noah returns as Grammy host with comfort, nervousness
Trevor Noah feels more comfortable hosting the Grammy Awards for a third-straight year, but the former 'The Daily Show' host still has some nervousness about leading the ceremony with big-time acts like Beyonce, Adele and Harry Styles looking on.
Business
-
Poll: Companies make progress on anti-Black racism, but workers worry about recession
A survey by KPMG says most Black Canadians feel their employers made progress addressing anti-Black racism last year, but they worry about what a recession could mean for those gains. The report found 90 per cent of Black Canadians surveyed said their employers made progress on efforts to be more equitable and inclusive for Black employees in 2022.
-
Companies extend deadline to close Rogers-Shaw deal to Feb. 17
The companies involved in the Rogers Communications Inc. deal to buy Shaw Communications have extended the deadline to complete the transaction.
-
Dutch electronics giant Philips to cut 6,000 jobs worldwide
Dutch consumer electronics and medical equipment maker Philips said Monday it is cutting 6,000 jobs worldwide over the next two years as it revealed a net loss of 1.6 billion euros (US$1.7 billion) in 2022, down from a net profit of 3.3 billion euros last year.
Lifestyle
-
Once-in-a-lifetime discovery: Indigenous jacket more than a century old turns up in small U.K. town
When 1990s suede fringe jackets started making a comeback last year, a U.K.-based vintage clothing company decided to order four tonnes of suede from a supplier in the United States. Along with that shipment came a once-in-a lifetime discovery.
-
In Japan, pet fish playing Nintendo Switch run up bill on owner's credit card
Pet fish playing a video game in Japan managed to log on to the Nintendo Switch store, change their owner's avatar, set up a Pay Pal account and rack up a credit card bill.
-
Ukrainian kids find cellphone signal on hill, set up makeshift school
On a bleak, windswept hillside in northeast Ukraine, three young boys recently discovered a cell phone signal, something difficult to find in their region since Russia invaded their country. and they've set up a makeshift school around the signal.
Sports
-
Super Bowl 57: Chiefs, Eagles meet for title in Arizona
Kansas City will face the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl on Feb. 12 in Glendale, Arizona.
-
Ryan Reynolds goes through range of emotions in FA Cup match
Ryan Reynolds went from joy to despair, and punch-the-air ecstasy to desolation.
-
Novak Djokovic claims 10th Australian Open title, 22nd Slam
Novak Djokovic climbed into the Rod Laver Arena stands to celebrate his 10th Australian Open championship and record-tying 22nd Grand Slam title Sunday and, after jumping and pumping his fists with his team, he collapsed onto his back, crying.
Autos
-
Automakers Renault, Nissan to make cross-shareholdings equal
Nissan and Renault have agreed to equalize the stakes they hold in each other, both sides said Monday, ironing out a source of conflict in the Japan-French auto alliance.
-
Canadian Hyundai vehicles unaffected by theft issue in the U.S., company says
Hyundai cars in Canada don't have the same anti-theft issue compared to those in the United States, a company spokesperson says, following reports that two American auto insurers are refusing to write policies for older models.
-
Some U.S. auto insurers are refusing to cover some Hyundai and Kia models
Progressive and State Farm, two of America's largest auto insurers, are refusing to write policies in certain cities for some older Hyundai and Kia models that have been deemed too easy to steal, according to one of the insurance companies and media reports.
