A Cornish judge has ruled that an elderly woman with dementia will be vaccinated, despite her son's objections.

Judge Simon Carr, who is based in Truro, concluded that vaccination would be in the 83-year-old's best interests, at an online hearing in the Court of Protection on Wednesday evening.

The specialist court hears issues relating to people who might lack the mental capacity to make decisions for themselves are considered.

The woman, whose identity or location cannot be revealed, is living in a care home and agreed to her son having power of attorney, and making decisions on her behalf, some time ago, the judge heard.

Her son argued that she should not have the coronavirus vaccine as she “had not got that long left anyway”.

He said she should not have to end her life in pain if there were side effects.

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The case was brought to court after the woman's GP thought she should be given the vaccine and asked the judge to consider the case.

Her son, who represented himself at the hearing, argued that Covid vaccines had not been properly tested. He said a blood test might show that she might have antibodies and did not need a vaccination.

Judge Carr concluded that the pensioner did not have the mental capacity to make a decision for herself.

He said he had to decide what choice the pensioner would have made if she had been able to.

The judge said her medical history indicated that she had no objection to vaccines.

He said she been vaccinated against flu for nearly 20 years and added: “I have no hesitation in concluding that it is very much in (her) best interests to have the vaccine.”

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