Doc subject of complaint denies he’s against COVID-19 shot

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This article was published 08/10/2021 (1765 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A Winnipeg doctor accused of being an anti-vaxxer by the parent of a young patient denies being against vaccines and public health orders.

Dr. Wilhelmus Grobler, who practises at the South Sherbrook Health Centre, said in a statement Thursday that he is “in support of COVID-19 vaccines and all public health orders and guidelines in the province of Manitoba.

“I strongly encourage all of my eligible patients and all eligible Manitobans to get the vaccine as soon as possible in order to protect us from the virus and to decrease the stress on our public health-care system.”

Grobler said not only is he “pro-vaccine”, but he said he “administered several COVID-19 vaccines to patients last week.”

Grobler also took issue with an article in the Free Press on Thursday, detailing alleged anti-vaccination comments made by him to a father and his 11-year-old daughter during an appointment last week.

The father said that among the comments Grobler made, in response to a series of questions the dad had prepared, were that only people 80 years and older should get vaccinated, that testing for the vaccine wasn’t long enough, and while there is no evidence sterilization can occur with the vaccine, it is a concern.

The father has said he has complained to the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba because of several statements the doctor made to them.

The college already has a terms and conditions notice on Grobler’s physician profile, which tells him to remove a notice he had posted in his clinic and not post any signage or give out any information which would “disseminate information to his patients or the public regarding COVID-19 that do not align with current public health directives in any format.”

The notice was in response to a posting by Grobler, in October 2020, saying the only age group that should be subject to lockdown are people 80 and over and that statistically COVID-19 is no more lethal than any other cold or flu virus for this age group.

Grobler, who didn’t respond to a Free Press request for an interview on Wednesday, but whose clinic did respond saying it supported the public health orders about COVID-19, said “the facts are not properly represented.”

“Due to patient confidentiality, I cannot share details of the appointment in question,” he said.

“I am co-operating with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba and will be providing them with any relevant and requested information.”

The college confirmed on Wednesday it had received a complaint about the physician.

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca