ワクチン接種者の血液拒み手術できず、乳児保護求め当局提訴 ＮＺ

【ウェリントンＡＦＰ＝時事】救命手術を要する乳児に対し、両親が新型コロナウイルス感染症（ＣＯＶＩＤ－１９）のワクチン接種者からの輸血を拒否しているとして、当局が乳児の保護を求めて提訴した裁判の審理が６日、ニュージーランド・オークランドの高等裁判所で始まった。（写真は輸血用血液バッグ）
　母親によると、生後４か月の乳児は、肺動脈弁狭窄（きょうさく）症により「緊急手術」を必要としている。ただ両親は、メッセンジャーＲＮＡ（ｍＲＮＡ）を用いたワクチンを接種したドナーからの輸血を望まないため、手術の実施が遅れている。
　当局側は、ワクチン接種者の血液を使うことに危険性はないとの判断から、献血の受付時にワクチン接種の有無は確認していないとして、ワクチン未接種者に限定した輸血はできないと説明している。
　当局としては、乳児の部分的な保護権を得て、手術を実施したい意向だ。
　問題をめぐっては、両親を支持する抗議デモも起きており、ワクチンに関する誤情報の影響の大きさが示されている。この日も、約１５０人が裁判所の外で両親に対する支持の声を上げた。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2022/12/07-13:01）

New Zealand authorities on Tuesday launched a battle for custody of an infant whose parents are blocking life-saving surgery because blood donors may have been vaccinated against Covid-19.
The New Zealand health authority took the bid for emergency custody to the High Court in Auckland in a case that has sparked local protest and underscored the potency of vaccine misinformation.
The four-month-old -- whose name has been suppressed by court order -- needs an urgent operation to correct a heart disorder known as pulmonary valve stenosis, the child's mother has said.
The surgical procedure has been delayed because the baby's parents do not want any blood transfused that could have come from a donor vaccinated using mRNA vaccines.
Health authorities rejected the parents' request for unvaccinated blood.
New Zealand's blood service does not make a distinction between donations from those vaccinated or unvaccinated against Covid, as there is no extra risk from using vaccinated blood.
The authorities want to take partial custody of the child, leaving the parents in charge of non-medical care, but allowing the procedure to go ahead.
Health New Zealand has said it applied to the court with the best interests of the child in mind following extensive conversations with the family.
We know that it can be worrying when parents have a child who is unwell, and are making decisions about their care,doctor Mike Shepherd from Health New Zealand said in a statement.
Around 150 anti-vaccination protesters were outside the court in Auckland on Tuesday to voice support for the family.
New Zealand?s strict response against Covid was widely regarded as one of the most successful in the world, with the country enjoying a low mortality rate even before a vaccine programme started.
But tough travel constraints, lockdowns and other restrictions caused concern about the erosion of civil liberties and sparked the emergence of small-but-vocal anti-vaccine and anti-restriction groups.