Doctors Will Treat ‘COVID Deniers’ Says Australian Medical Body After State President’s Comments

Medical staff walk past the emergency entrance at the Royal Melbourne Hospital in Melbourne, Australia, on Oct. 9, 2021. William West / AFP via Getty Images

The Victorian branch of the Australian Medical Association (AMA) has backtracked on comments made by its president, Dr. Roderick McRae, that people he deemed “COVID-19 deniers” and “anti-vaxxers” should opt out of taxpayer-funded health care.

In comments published in The Guardian, McRae said, “A whole lot of these people are passionate disbelievers that the virus even exists. And they should notify their nearest and dearest and ensure there’s an advanced care directive that says, ‘If I am diagnosed with this disease caused by a virus that I don’t believe exists, I will not disturb the public hospital system, and I’ll let nature run its course.'”