These 3 Anti-Vaxxer, Conservative Radio Hosts Have Died From COVID-19 In August
Three conservative radio hosts, who publicly expressed doubts about COVID-19 vaccinations, died in August of coronavirus complications.
The radio personalities were all in their 60s and each seemed to take anti-government stances when it came to getting vaccinated.
Marc Bernier
The latest victim was Marc Bernier, 65, a radio host based in Daytona Beach, Florida. He died Saturday from COVID-19 after he was hospitalized on Aug. 7.
Bernier, who was known as "Mr. Anti-Vax," had stated that the U.S. government was "acting like Nazis" by pushing for vaccinations.
Bernier had gotten into a spat with Florida's Commissioner of Agriculture Nikki Fried, who encouraged the vaccine. She posted on Twitter that the “greatest generation had to defeat the Nazis to preserve our way of life, you’re only being asked to get a shot. So be a patriot.”
Bernier replied on Twitter: "Should say, 'Now the US Government is acting like Nazi's. Get the shot!'"
Dick Farrel
Another 65-year-old conservative radio host in Florida, Farrel died from coronavirus on Aug. 4. He also worked as a fill-in host on right-leaning Newsmax TV.
“Why take a vax promoted by people who lied 2u all along about masks, where the virus came from, and the death toll?” Farrel had posted on Facebook on July 3.
He also criticized Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infection disease doctor. Farrel called Fauci a “power-tripping lying freak,” according to The Washington Post.
Farrel reportedly later changed his opinions after contracting COVID and urged friends to get vaccinated.
Phil Valentine
Valentine, 62, the son of former Rep. Tim Valentine, was based in Nashville and had once said that his chances of dying from COVID, should he ever be infected, were probably “way less" than 1%.
He died from COVID-19 on Aug. 21 after announcing he had been infected on July 11.
Valentine, who also had rejected mask mandates, had said on his blog in December that “I’m not an anti-vaxxer. I’m just using common sense.”
"The people who instinctively believe that the government is the solution to everything are already talking vaccination mandates. This should be a personal choice," he said.
After his radio station announced he had been hospitalized, it also noted that Valentine had changed his mind and urged people to get vaccinated.
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