I guess science really doesn't give a shit what you think:
An
Arkansas senator who shared an article that described the
coronavirus pandemic as a “hoax” has contracted
Covid-19.
Republican senator Jason Rapert, who unsuccessfully introduced a bill to ban gay marriage in the US in 2017, was hospitalised with coronavirus and pneumonia on 24 July.
Earlier in the year, as many states were beginning to take social distancing measures to attempt to control the spread of the virus, Mr Rapert shared an article on Facebook that called the pandemic the “biggest political hoax in history”.
He has been critical of policies taken to stop the spread of Covid-19 in various social media posts over the last few months and was filmed last week not wearing a face mask at a church service, according to
Raw Story.
Although the senator has been pictured wearing a mask previously, he has also been critical of Arkansas governor Asa Hutchinson’s executive order that made wearing a face covering mandatory in the state when people are outside and when social distancing is not possible.
Mr Rapert described the mandate as “an overreach of executive power without consultation with the members of the Arkansas legislature,” in a social media post last week.
The senator added: “I understand the governor has expanded authority during a declared state of emergency, but with most people already complying where necessary and the death rates, hospitalisation rates and positivity test rates all hovering just below 1% in our state — I believe this mandate was ill timed and not necessary.”
Speaking about the mandate, Mr Hutchinson said: “We believe this is important from a public health standpoint,” and added: “It is something that is necessary in Arkansas with the cases we’ve had.”
Following his hospitalisation, Mr Rapert released a statement, where he wrote that “this is a difficult time for my family, but we know that God is with us always. We’re sincerely grateful for the many prayers of love and support that have been expressed on our behalf.
www.abc.net.au
