Offspring Drummer: I Was Kicked Out Of The Band For Refusing Coronavirus Vaccine

Pete Parada said he's worried the vaccine can worsen his Guillain-Barré Syndrome.
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Pete Parada, drummer for The Offspring, says he’s out of the band because he won’t get vaccinated to protect against the coronavirus.

Parada, who’s handled the sticks for the band for nearly 15 years, wrote on Instagram:

“I caught the virus over a year ago, it was mild for me — so I am confident I’d be able to handle it again, but I’m not so certain I’d survive another post-vaccination round of Guillain-Barré Syndrome, which dates back to my childhood and has evolved to be progressively worse over my lifetime.”

The band, known for hits such as “Pretty Fly (For A White Guy),” “Come Out and Play” and “Why Don’t You Get A Job,” hasn’t responded publicly. However, guitarist Kevin Wasserman ― a.k.a. “Noodles” ― hit the “like” button on a tweet saying the band did the right thing.

In July, the FDA warned of the possibility that Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine may increase the risk of Guillain-Barré syndrome, a neurological disorder, in some people. The agency also said it had not identified any such risk for either of the other two approved vaccines, the mRNA shots from Pfizer and Moderna, MedPage Today reported. To date, no cases of the disorder have been identified in clinical trials for either of those two shots, the CDC said.

Parada said his doctor advised him not to get the vaccine, but added that while his own reason was medical, he was also against pressuring others into getting vaccinated.

“I do not find it ethical or wise to allow those with the most power (government, corporations, organizations, employers) to dictate medical procedures to those with the least power,” he wrote.

Parada said he has no negative feelings toward the band and did not indicate if his departure was temporary or permanent. He also said he’s launching a musical project of his own.

The Offspring is set to perform this weekend in Los Angeles, followed by a tour starting Sept. 1 in Austin.

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