An American detained in Russia got infected with COVID-19 after being denied a vaccine, his family said
- Trevor Reed, a former US Marine, has been detained in Russia since 2019.
- His family said Russian officials refused to vaccinate him, and now he has COVID-19.
- The family said Trevor's illness was "a result of a toxic mix of incompetence, recklessness and spitefulness."
The family of an American man detained in Russia said he got sick with COVID-19 after officials refused to let him be vaccinated.
Trevor Reed, a former US Marine, was detained in August 2019 after being accused of assaulting police officers.
His family said in a Tuesday statement that Reed had complained of COVID-19 symptoms, including losing his sense of smell, and tested positive, but a judge refused extra medical tests or a postponement of a court hearing.
"It is completely unacceptable that Trevor contracted COVID in the first place. Some time ago, [US] Embassy officials requested permission to vaccinate Trevor and Russian officials refused," the family said.
"Trevor now has COVID as a result of a toxic mix of incompetence, recklessness and spitefulness on the part of Russian authorities."
The hearing, which was meant to be for Wednesday, has since been postponed, said Jonathan Franks, a spokesman for the Reed family.