(LifeSiteNews) — A Canadian country music star is facing a rash of online hate after saying his doctor told him he should not take the COVID jab because he already recovered from the virus.
“An Alberta doctor told me there is no medical need for me to be vaccinated as a COVID-recovered person. I’m not an anti-vaxxer. Does anyone else who has immunity from prior COVID infection feel unseen? I have questions,” tweeted Alberta country musician Paul Brandt last Friday.
Brandt, who before his music career worked as an ICU nurse at the Alberta Children’s Hospital, posted a lengthy comment on Friday about not taking the jabs.
He brought up the fact his 13-year-old son also recently recovered from COVID, and that he has concerns a jab could affect him negatively.
“Research clearly shows that vaccine symptoms are more common in those who already had COVID, and yet, politicians are looking me and my doctor straight in the face, and saying, ‘Do it anyway,’” wrote Brandt.
“They are telling my healthy COVID-recovered 13-year-old boy, with his antibody levels literally off the charts of the high point of the scale, who is in the highest risk bracket for vaccine-induced heart inflammation (myocarditis), ‘Just do it anyway’, that should not be so. That is not health science. That is political science.”
Brandt wrote that his son is not able to participate in sports due to being “unvaccinated,” even though he has natural “immunity to COVID-19.”
“[My son] is of no greater risk to his peers than anyone else. The willingness of government and health leaders to leverage negative mental health impact on our children is appalling,” wrote Brandt.
Reactions to his Facebook post were mixed.
“Paul, I went to High School with you,” said one commentator named Jenn Kneller. “I am however extremely disappointed with your post. You are entitled to your opinion … Your assertions about immunity are downright dangerous.”
Another commentator named Amber Huskich did not take kindly to the fact Brandt posted what he did in light of the fact he is a nurse.
“I was excited to start reading this post as I knew you were a RN … but definitely disappointed this is what you write as Alberta is grappling with a terrible 4th wave,” wrote Huskich.
At the same time, many came to Brandt’s defense.
“Being in healthcare, I appreciate you for always keeping it real. I agree with you that this is ethically wrong and Canada is in serious trouble. The thing that makes science, science is that it welcomes an [opposing] view, it allows for scrutiny of data, it allows for the assumption to be questioned,” wrote Kaley Lorraine Lyle.
Commentor Amberly Elizabeth Allers thanked Brandt for speaking out.
“Thank you for speaking up with both your professional knowledge as well as personal experience. My experience is much the same. You didn’t need to speak up but I’m proud you did, there is a huge aspect of the conversation missing with our government,” wrote Allers.
Brandt wrote that he had COVID before the jabs were available and got it despite following all rules. He even brought up the fact that he canceled a performance at the 2021 Calgary Stampede due to concerns about large crowd sizes.
He said he encourages people to take the jabs with “informed consent,” but warned that a vaccine passport “is an abusive use of social pressure, and is scapegoating in a most disgusting form.”
“Leaders need to discipline themselves to stop using the language of ‘us and them’. It is beneath the dignity of a civilized society,” wrote Brandt. “The fact that I am COVID-recovered and unrecognized in the system only serves to push me into the marginalized ‘unvaccinated’ category. It restricts my ability to pursue my livelihood. I know many Canadians, including previously infected and recovered health care workers, find themselves in a similar situation.”
At the end of his lengthy Facebook post, Brandt said he respects the “seriousness of this illness” but will not “put myself or my children through unnecessary risk simply because it is easier, or it makes a politician, or my neighbour feel better.”
“We are already less of a risk to the general public than vaccinated people,” wrote Brandt. “It’s time to get honest about the COVID-19-recovered conversation. There are more than the two categories of vaccinated and unvaccinated. COVID-recovered people are a part of Canada too.”
LifeSiteNews has put together a resource called “How to resist COVID jab mandates in Canada — a comprehensive guide.”