ID :
16770
Sat, 08/23/2008 - 20:18
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/16770
The shortlink copeid
NSW authorities search for Hep B couple
Police and welfare authorities are continuing to search for a Sydney couple in hiding after they refused to have their three-day-old boy vaccinated against hepatitis B.
The NSW Department of Community Services (DoCs) has been granted a four-day extension to a NSW Supreme Court order which now states that the baby must bevaccinated by Monday.
But the infant's father, a financial adviser, is seeking an injunction against thecourt order, and is adamant they will stay on the run indefinitely.
The parents, from Croydon Park, fled their home on Thursday to avoid police and DoCS officers after refusing to have their son vaccinated at the Royal Prince AlfredHospital.
They have told Fairfax they believe aluminium in the vaccine can cause him moredamage than contracting the disease.
The infant's mother, who is from China, was diagnosed with hepatitis B several yearsago.
The parents believe the illness, which can cause liver cancer and cirrhosis, can be managed more effectively without a vaccination which, they fear, could cause theirchild neurological damage.
A DoCs spokeswoman said the family remained in hiding and the department would haveto decide about seeking another court order if they were not found by Monday.
"DoCs and local police are still looking to find the family," a DoCs spokeswoman said.
NSW Assistant Police Commissioner Frank Mennilli told reporters he could not saywhether the parents would be charged once they were found.
"In relation to that matter, that is a current order that's there before the courts from the Department of Community Services so it'll be something that'll have to beassessed once that child is located," he said in Sydney.
Vaccinations are not compulsory in Australia but it is NSW Health policy that babiesborn to hepatitis-B mothers are given the immunoglobulin within 12 hours of birth.
The treatment is followed up with four more doses of the vaccine over six months.
A NSW police spokeswoman said police would not comment on the matter.
The NSW Department of Community Services (DoCs) has been granted a four-day extension to a NSW Supreme Court order which now states that the baby must bevaccinated by Monday.
But the infant's father, a financial adviser, is seeking an injunction against thecourt order, and is adamant they will stay on the run indefinitely.
The parents, from Croydon Park, fled their home on Thursday to avoid police and DoCS officers after refusing to have their son vaccinated at the Royal Prince AlfredHospital.
They have told Fairfax they believe aluminium in the vaccine can cause him moredamage than contracting the disease.
The infant's mother, who is from China, was diagnosed with hepatitis B several yearsago.
The parents believe the illness, which can cause liver cancer and cirrhosis, can be managed more effectively without a vaccination which, they fear, could cause theirchild neurological damage.
A DoCs spokeswoman said the family remained in hiding and the department would haveto decide about seeking another court order if they were not found by Monday.
"DoCs and local police are still looking to find the family," a DoCs spokeswoman said.
NSW Assistant Police Commissioner Frank Mennilli told reporters he could not saywhether the parents would be charged once they were found.
"In relation to that matter, that is a current order that's there before the courts from the Department of Community Services so it'll be something that'll have to beassessed once that child is located," he said in Sydney.
Vaccinations are not compulsory in Australia but it is NSW Health policy that babiesborn to hepatitis-B mothers are given the immunoglobulin within 12 hours of birth.
The treatment is followed up with four more doses of the vaccine over six months.
A NSW police spokeswoman said police would not comment on the matter.
