The New Zealand (“NZ”) Blood Service at present does not separate blood or blood products depending on vaccination status and many people, quite rightly, have concerns about potentially receiving blood from vaccinated donors. The right to choose what goes into our bodies has come to a head in the case of four-month-old baby Will.
Sam and Cole Savage-Reeves want to ensure their baby, Will, who needs open heart surgery has unvaccinated blood during the operation. But shockingly, the surgeon and NZ Blood Service won’t allow them the human right of the freedom to choose or refuse what goes in their baby’s body.
There are many potential reasons for concern about blood from vaccinated people because there are many unknowns, said New Zealand Doctors Speaking Out with Science (“NZDSOS”). NZ Blood has said that there is no evidence that blood from vaccinated individuals is harmful. It is very important to understand that an “absence of evidence” is not the same as “evidence of absence.” NZ Blood can say there is “no evidence” but is that because no one has looked?
The onus must be on NZ Blood, and the doctors prescribing and administering blood and blood products, to provide the evidence that the blood is safe – both short and long-term.
As lawyer Sue Grey said on her way into court yesterday: “This family want the best for their baby … This family actually want better for the baby than what the government is offering … They want safe blood for their baby. They don’t want their baby to be contaminated with something that could cause more harm than the poor baby is already facing.” You can watch a detailed brief from Grey after the court case yesterday HERE.
Liz Gunn of FreeNZ Media spoke outside the courthouse: “Doctors must listen to what the parents want … This case is about Will’s life … it’s about the lives of your children and grandchildren.”
Liz spoke of the significance of baby Will’s case and what it means for New Zealand at the post-court statement this morning. pic.twitter.com/CMRaSQzAZa
— FreeNZ (@_FreeNZ) November 30, 2022
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