Co-founder of ReOpen Maryland says he has COVID-19, but won’t help contact tracing efforts
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A co-founder of the ReOpen Maryland movement has said on social media that he tested positive for coronavirus this week but won’t work with public health officials trying to track the spread of the pandemic.
Tim Walters, a two-time Republican candidate for the General Assembly from Linthicum, said in a series of Facebook videos starting Tuesday that he has come down with COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the coronavirus.
“I was diagnosed yesterday at the ER with COVID-19 and here I am months after not wearing a mask at rallies, churches and so on and so it’s funny how capricious this thing is,” he said.
Walters helped organize ReOpen Maryland protests in Annapolis, on the Eastern Shore and elsewhere in Maryland to challenge state and local measures put in place by Gov. Larry Hogan to slow the spread of the virus.
The group describes itself as pursuing “peaceful, law-abiding advocacy for public health measures that respect Marylanders’ civil rights, economic well-being and educational access.”
In the first of what Walters described as a series of planned daily videos about his illness, he described himself as a 53-year-old man with diabetes who hasn’t maintained good health habits since he left the Navy.
He said he has had a dry cough since March, that in recent days has worsened and expanded to include a headache, fever and loss of focus in one eye.
Walters urged people who have come in contact with him in the past two weeks to pay attention to the symptoms he described but he said he would not provide any information to public health officials trying to trace the spread of the disease.
'I thought this was a hoax': Patient in their 30s dies after attending 'COVID party'
SAN ANTONIO, Texas (WOAI/KABB) – A patient in their 30s died from the coronavirus after attending what is known as a “COVID party,” according to health care officials.
Chief Medical Officer of Methodist Healthcare Dr. Jane Appleby said the idea of these parties is to see if the virus is real.
“This is a party held by somebody diagnosed by the COVID virus and the thought is to see if the virus is real and to see if anyone gets infected,” Dr. Appleby said.
According to Appleby, the patient became critically ill and had a heartbreaking statement moments before death.
“Just before the patient died, they looked at their nurse and said ‘I think I made a mistake, I thought this was a hoax, but it’s not,’” Appleby said.
Stupid fukkers.UK branch joining in
Tories CUT UP their membership cards as party splits over face masks... while Michael Gove pops to Pret without wearing one despite saying it's 'basic good manners' to do so - before they become mandatory from July 24
Conservative Party members have been cutting up their membership cards in protest at Boris Johnson's move to make face masks mandatory in shops as Michael Gove shunned them while buying breakfast today.
- The hashtag #NoMasks and the word 'muzzles' were both trending on Twitter
- Conservative Party members have been cutting up their membership cards
- Michael Gove has said that masks in shops should only be a matter of 'courtesy'
The hashtag #NoMasks and the word 'muzzles' were both trending on Twitter, while several Tory supporters posted pictures of chopped-up cards, cancelled registrations or deleting their direct debits.
Many said the order - which will come into effect from July 24 and carries a maximum fine of £100 for non-compliance - is incompatible with the party's libertarian values. Others claimed there is insufficient evidence to suggest that the measure has meaningful health benefits.
Michael Gove hinted he agreed with them on Sunday by saying that masks in shops should be a matter of 'courtesy' and 'common sense' rather than required.
Mr Gove added it was 'basic good manners' to wear masks in shops but was pictured picking up breakfast in a Westminster Pret a Manger without one this morning. Minutes later Trade Secretary Liz Truss arrived at the same branch wearing a blue face covering similar to the one worn by the Prime Minister yesterday.
additional links
Face masks: Conservatives cut up membership cards in protest at new rules
'Call the police!' Matt Hancock urges shopkeepers to enforce new face covering rule
So I guess we are just stuck with this virus for no reason. Thanks crazy white people. Really appreciate your input on this issue.UK branch joining in
Tories CUT UP their membership cards as party splits over face masks... while Michael Gove pops to Pret without wearing one despite saying it's 'basic good manners' to do so - before they become mandatory from July 24
Conservative Party members have been cutting up their membership cards in protest at Boris Johnson's move to make face masks mandatory in shops as Michael Gove shunned them while buying breakfast today.
- The hashtag #NoMasks and the word 'muzzles' were both trending on Twitter
- Conservative Party members have been cutting up their membership cards
- Michael Gove has said that masks in shops should only be a matter of 'courtesy'
The hashtag #NoMasks and the word 'muzzles' were both trending on Twitter, while several Tory supporters posted pictures of chopped-up cards, cancelled registrations or deleting their direct debits.
Many said the order - which will come into effect from July 24 and carries a maximum fine of £100 for non-compliance - is incompatible with the party's libertarian values. Others claimed there is insufficient evidence to suggest that the measure has meaningful health benefits.
Michael Gove hinted he agreed with them on Sunday by saying that masks in shops should be a matter of 'courtesy' and 'common sense' rather than required.
Mr Gove added it was 'basic good manners' to wear masks in shops but was pictured picking up breakfast in a Westminster Pret a Manger without one this morning. Minutes later Trade Secretary Liz Truss arrived at the same branch wearing a blue face covering similar to the one worn by the Prime Minister yesterday.
additional links
Face masks: Conservatives cut up membership cards in protest at new rules
'Call the police!' Matt Hancock urges shopkeepers to enforce new face covering rule