Rand Paul Makes False Comments About COVID-19 During Virginia Event
Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., on Sunday made multiple false comments about COVID-19 during an event in Virginia. Paul was stumping for Republican congressional candidate Nick Freitas.
According to the Daily Beast, Paul told the crowd how he would run a restaurant during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"If I owned a restaurant, I’d have a whole wing for senior citizens or for anybody who is worried about getting sick, and I would say, 'All my servers have already had it,'" Paul said. “If I had a cruise ship ... everybody would have had the infection that works on the boat."
Paul, who had previously tested positive for COVID-19, claimed he was now “immune” to the virus.
“I’ve had it. I can’t get it again,” Paul said. “I can’t give it to you, and I can’t get it.”
Paul demonstrated a false understanding of how COVID-19 is spread. There have been multiple cases of former COVID-19 patients being reinfected.
Paul also falsely claimed that cloth face masks do not work.
“I’m not telling you not to wear a mask,” Paul told rally-goers. “The cloth masks … I’m just telling you the truth, they don’t work. Ninety-seven percent of viruses go through a cloth mask.”
According to MIT Medical, there is steadily accumulating evidence that cloth face masks work to prevent the spread of COVID-19, by containing respiratory droplets. Masks, along with social distancing, are effective in preventing the spread of COVID-19.
Paul has frequently argued against shutdown policies to combat the pandemic, due to the economy. He has also clashed with the nation’s top epidemiologist, Dr. Anthony Fauci, and criticized New York’s response to the pandemic.
On Twitter, Paul was ripped for his comments about restaurants as well as for his reputation.
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