A McDonald’s-backed charity for sick children has denied claims it was deporting a four-year-old boy with leukemia because his parents refused to be vaccinated against Covid-19.
Families staying at the RMH (Ronald McDonald House) in Vancouver, Canada, were told on Monday that they must receive at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine by the end of the month in order to stay.
The facility is one of 375 Ronald McDonald Houses around the world that provide free accommodation for sick children and their families who must travel far from home to receive specialized medical care.
Austin Furgason, a Canadian electrician and father of two who is staying at the charity’s British Columbia chapter in Vancouver while his four-year-old son, Jack, is treated for acute lymphoblastic leukemia, accused the charity for threatening him, his wife, and Jack to “kick them out” because of their beliefs.
But a spokesperson for RMH BC said The Independent that he would find alternative housing for the Fergasons and all other unvaccinated residents: “No family will be evicted from our home.”
Fergason did not respond to a request for comment.
The dispute is one of many clashes taking place around the world, as medical providers and other institutions trying to boost vaccination rates and keep users of their services safe clash. to fierce opposition from anti-vaccine activists.
In a letter to residents delivered by Furgason to the Canadian news website True North, RMH BC Senior Director of Family Services Leslie Louie has stipulated that all residents, workers and visitors over the age of five must be vaccinated with at least one dose by January 31.
A spokesperson said the policy was based on a recommendation from local public health officials and was intended to “protect the vulnerable population of sick children we serve in congregate settings and to limit the spread of COVID-19 and of its variants. Children who cannot be vaccinated due to medical treatment are exempt.
Fergason, a conservative Christian who often criticizes Covid-19 vaccines, face masks and other safety measures on his Facebook page as well as posts opposing abortion and transgender rights, uploaded a video on Tuesday showing him confronting an RMH BC official over the politics.
“It’s an abomination,” he said. “It’s not Canada. This is an absolute shame for our country. Saying your son with leukemia is no longer welcome here? I thought we were a country against segregation.
He claimed his family were “not anti-vaccine” because Jack had been vaccinated against other diseases, but argued that coronavirus vaccines did not reduce transmission. “Don’t think they’re going to get away with it,” he concluded. “We are going to fight this and expose it to the people, because it is a great evil that has been done today.”
commented True North“My wife Lindsey cried in her bed. I told her, I’m going to go ask the manager about it because it’s not even real…I felt like God was in my heart by saying, you gotta approach it like a man, you gotta expose it for what it is.”
RMH BC said: “Ronald McDonald House will support any family in need of alternative accommodation if required after the grace period…our team have been in contact with the family regarding this specific situation, and we are supporting arrangements for a alternative alternative accommodation”.
“We appreciate that this policy has an impact on those who have made the decision not to get vaccinated; however, we must continue to prioritize the health, safety and well-being of the vulnerable populations we serve. »
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