The drummer of US rock band The Offspring says he has been dropped from touring after refusing to get a COVID vaccine for health reasons.
In a post on Instagram, Pete Parada said a doctor had advised him not to get the shot because of an autoimmune disorder.
He said that due to being diagnosed with Guillain-Barré Syndrome "the risks outweigh the benefits" for him and his family, who he said were hoping to keep him around "a bit longer".
Guillain-Barré Syndrome is a rare but serious autoimmune disorder that causes the immune system to attack healthy nerve cells in the body's peripheral nervous system.
The drummer said he caught COVID over a year ago and only had mild symptoms, "so I am confident I'd be able to handle it again".
As a result, "it has recently been decided that I am unsafe to be around, in the studio and on tour," he said.
He added that he had "no hard feelings" for the band and said they believed the decision was what was best for them.
The Offspring, known for hits including 1998's Pretty Fly (for a White Guy), is due to start a US tour on August 8. The band is yet to respond to Parada's comments.
Parada joined the group in 2007, and it is not clear whether he has now left permanently.
