A 12-year-old Dutch boy has won a court battle against his father, who refused to give permission for him to receive a Covid-19 vaccine so he could visit his dying grandmother. The case, believed to be one of the first of its kind in the Netherlands, was heard at Groningen District Court.
The boy, whose name has not been released, argued that getting the jab would reduce his chances of passing on an infection to his grandmother, who is suffering from terminal metastatic lung cancer. He wanted to spend as much time with her as possible but feared that without vaccination, he could infect her, which he believed would be life-threatening.
Under Dutch law, children aged 12 to 17 can choose to be vaccinated but need permission from both parents. In this case, the boy's parents are divorced; his mother agreed to the vaccination, but his father, who is opposed to vaccines and coronavirus testing, refused. The father claimed that vaccines were still in a test phase and could pose long-term risks to reproductive organs, but the judge found no scientific basis for these concerns.
Judge Bart Tromp ruled in favour of the boy, stating that the interests involved in vaccination, particularly those of the minor, outweighed other considerations. He ordered that the boy be vaccinated shortly, noting that his interests were more important than any possible appeal by the father's lawyers. The ruling was made on Tuesday but released on Thursday.
The case highlights growing vaccine scepticism in the Netherlands, where protests are expected this weekend against the introduction of a Covid pass for entry to restaurants and bars.
