With COVID-19 infections reaching record levels in the United States, Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky visited Fox News (where else?) to encourage Americans to discard masks and start gathering again. Paul justified his comments by reasoning that people who had survived COVID-19 become immune to the virus–something which medical experts say is not true.
“We have 11 million people in our country who have already had COVID,” Paul noted. “We should tell them to celebrate. We should tell them to throw away their masks, go to restaurants, live again because these people are now immune. But Dr. Fauci doesn’t want to admit to any of that. Dr. Fauci’s like, ‘oh, woe is me.’ Until the election occurs, and now, maybe he’ll be changing his attitude.”
Related: Rand Paul said he was nearly killed by a “crazed mob” last night… video shows the exact opposite
Paul’s remarks refer to Dr. Anthony Fauci, the leading disease expert in the United States. Fauci has consistently encouraged Americans to wear masks and avoid mass gatherings to prevent the spread of COVID-19. He has also asserted subtle criticism of the Trump Administration–and more broadly, the Republican Party–for politicizing mask-wearing and not doing enough to slow the spread of the disease.
How about we take this to the next level?
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Rand Paul: We have 11 million people in our country who have already had COVID. We should tell them to celebrate. We should tell them to throw away their masks, go to restaurants, and live again because these people are now immune(they are not immune) pic.twitter.com/Un2CQ1b5Tg
— Acyn Torabi (@Acyn) November 13, 2020
Furthermore, Paul’s claim that patients who survive the virus have immunity is patently false. The CDC reports that COVID-19 reinfection is possible, though remains rare. Experts have yet to understand the immune response that causes reinfection, though data shows that patients who do contract the virus a second time experience much more severe complications and symptoms upon reinfection. At the time of this writing, almost 250,000 people in the United States alone have died of the virus.
Dracoray822
I can’t believe these people are so heartless and selfish.
Ricanthony
To think this epic douchebag is an actual medical school trained physician. The Hippocratic oath is meaningless to him.
ElPillo
Because he took the hypocrite oath. Several times
wikidBSTN
Says the fake doctor who combs his hair with a brick.
Max
thank you for my first hearty laugh of the day!
Paul Nadolski
Welp, in the last six months, I’ve only gone into a public place five times…three of which were to get an eye exam and new glasses. I have no intention of going in anywhere again any time soon unless 100% absolutely and unavoidably necessary. And given that the supposed vaccine isn’t all that effective (at least not for my comfort level), I may never leave the house again. Sorry Senator.
barryaksarben
I dont go anywhere either and dont plan on it but you are wrong about one thing. Most vaccines are only between 60 to 70% effective so 90% is a VERY effective vaccine and I will take it when and if it is approved
wikidBSTN
A quarter of a MILLION dead just isn’t enough for Rend Paul. He wants more.
Ginger Tom
It’s a case of Make America Sick Again!
Cam
Republicans hate America.
Max
I’m sorry he wasn’t more ill from when he had coronavirus. people like him really need a near-death bout of it as a lesson.
IndependentForever
I agree. Anyone notice most, almost all of the people in Congress that have tested positive for Covid ARE Repukians? Horrible to say but a shame one or two didn’t die from it. Actually, is that little twit from Texas still alive? I mean Louie Gohmert ( not sure of the spelling, don’t care ).
As someone else said in the comments, can you believe Paul is actually a physician? Mind-boggling.
I am one believing Dumpster didn’t have Covid. One of two things happened. Maybe he had a tummy ache, which must hurt like hell on him, and they over-reacted. Then they decided to pull what Dump would call A HOAX. Announce he tested positive for Covid as a publicity stunt to get him sympathy. Or, he had either a legit cardiac event, severe panic attack, or mental breakdown forcing him to go to Walter Reed and again, his people decided to play it off as Covid not just for sympathy sake but any of the other issues would hurt him so close to the election.
WashDrySpin
Another white Republicans trying to kill Americans
Mister P
These repugnants are so out of touch. Wearing masks should not be controversial. Universal health care really is not controversial. Climate change is not controversial.
Get in touch you stupid right wing morons.
missvamp
truth- this guy is a bane on society & always has been. he’s sad, sick & pathetic. ugh
IndependentForever
They turn the mask-wearing into a rights issue. Typical Repukians and Trump sheep. It is all about THEM. To hell with the rights of people THAT DON’T WANT TO RISK GETTING SICK. I have tried and just can’t comprehend how these people think.
Heywood Jablowme
If I get Covid I’ll find out what restaurant he’s at and I’ll cough on him!
sk8sickstevo
Did anyone in the comments catch that he was specifically talking about people who already had covid? While it is still possible to catch again, it’s highly unlikely, meaning the risk of those recovered contributing to the spread of the disease is negligible.
Cam
Except that’s a lie. There are now multiple examples of people getting re-infected with Covid. Additionally, they could bring it back from the gathering to the people in their lives who haven’t gotten it.
Scout
I agree with you. There is a risk to everything in life. The risk of being re-infected is worth taking once you have antibodies. Whether those anti-bodies last is another question, but we can ask that even after there’s a vaccine. I, for one, don’t intend to spend the rest of my life wearing a face mask because “we just aren’t sure.”
barryaksarben
Many people are being reinfected and some people become carriers so we all should continue to wear masks and social distance till people are being vaccinated
WSnyder
If you like Rand Paul and or Mitch McConnell and or Donald Trump, then yes please, don’t wear a mask. Please make sure you tell your friends, family and co-workers that you don’t wear a mask so they can make a decision on how to interact with you that is best for them based upon your irresponsible behavior. Make sure you tell as many people about your behavior as possible. Go to Anti-Mask Protests, spread the word [the word is COVID BTW} to as many people that share your beliefs as possible.
When you find yourself in a make-shift tent in a hospital parking lot because the hospital is full of people like yourself, being miserable, barely able to breathe, gasping for breath, then make a video. Tell people that you were stupid and should’ve worn a mask and are sorry to your family who also caught COVID. In spite of knowing about your bad behavior they loved you and now they’re sick too. Make sure you post that video to social media and tell everyone how miserable you feel.
And we the people who wore the Mask, practiced personal distancing, avoided gatherings, suffered separation from friends and families for everyone’s safety, can watch you video…and really not give a rat’s *ss about you. Why? Because we can’t feel sorry for someone for being stupid and contributing to the chaos in our country and the misery you’ve caused our medical professionals who still have to treat you despite your dioic and selfish behavior. Making a choice against common sense and science and medical expertise for political devotion is not something forgivable or for us to feel sorry for you.
So suffer the consequences, you deserve no pity or compassion from us.
Scout
I have to agree with Paul. If you’ve recovered from the virus, why would you need to wear a mask? The chances of re-infection are rare which is stated in this article, you won’t infect others, and who knows how long the immunity from antibodies last, but resuming normal life at that point is a reasonable risk. Isn’t that what we’re all trying to get back to? What exactly is the counter-argument? Are we waiting for ZERO risk? Not going to happen, ever, even with a vaccine.
Once I am vaccinated from Covid, as soon as my antibodies kick in, there is no way I’m going to walk around any longer with a face mask, and I’ll be glad to carry around the document that proves my vaccination like a passport.
Scout
I’m impressed by how many commenters on here are truly afraid of taking a risk after they’ve formed antibodies from already recovering from the virus. Are they afraid of a vaccine too? No, we don’t know if we’ll be one of the .009 who get reinfected, nor how long the antibodies will last, but at what point is it worth taking the risk? Are people, despite their immunity, afraid they’ll still infect others? No scientist or doctor has suggested that possibility. At what point are we only fearing fear itself??
Kangol2
Did you miss the news about people getting reinfected? Particularly asymptomatic people who might have had low antibody counts? And the fact that they could spread the virus to others, especially people with preexisting conditions, etc.? Also, at a number of events at which supposedly post-Covid Don the Con spoke, on the campaign trail and then again at the White House on election night, you’ve seen an explosion of cases. Everyone should mask it and maintain social distancing in public until the virus spread is nearly 0% and heavily under control. We’re nowhere near that right now, no matter what Dr. Falsie, I mean, Rand Paul, is spewing.
wikidBSTN
And you think you still couldn’t spread it?
Prax07
I’d rather wear a mask, a mask that doesn’t hurt me in any way, than risk getting hospitalized and possible death or lifelong complications. If you’re so against wearing something that doesn’t hurt you and protects others, just go F yourself with a knife and do the rest of us some good.
toddlicious
The perms are finally sealing into his brain. What an epic douchebag. He deserves covid himself and no hospital availability for him because you know he’ll “panic” and need his free government healthcare to save him. F OFF rand paul.
barryaksarben
Be careful everyone. He is such a coward he will ask the secret service to arrest everyone here as he feel threatened like at the walk to his car that one time
Patrick
Rand Paul is not a physician. He is an optometrist who only became board certified by forming his own “certification board”.
fredk
what’s with the clown hair?
scotty
kentucky is as kentucky does. previously known as the bluegrass state, it is now known as that place where mitch mcconnell and rand paul continually rape their electorate.
cuteguy
Has he lost his medical license yet?
marcbruer777
Kentucky, lol. Aside from this fool’s idiotic “hairstyle” destroying any credibility he may have had, I just think he and buttbud McConnell should just cancel each other out.
Chrisk
Damn I wish there was a video of his neighbor pounding the shit out of this little weasel coward.
Sister Bertha Bedderthanyu
Its to be expected and personally I believe there is a lot more as to why his next door neighbor beat the living HELL out of him a few years ago. Let us not forget that to this day his father, the equally idiotic Ron Paul, hasn’t conceded his loss to the late John McCain in the primaries of 2008.
Kevan1
Anyone telling people to throw away their mask in this pandemic may need a good spray of the virus in their face to see this is real and it kills. Not wishing death on anyone, just enough for them to get the message this is nothing to mess with. This advice from the ignorant makes them complicate in the deaths this virus causes.
Phillip
This person is a physician and is supposed to know better.
He should be ashamed of himself for being so irresponsible
for dishing out disinformation. He should lose his medical
license among other things in my opinion.
My2CentsWorth
Very true. For a person in the government with a lot of influence, there should be some way to bring legal actions against him or anyone who is in effect causing people to commit murder if they should become infected and then spread it to others.
It should be considered a criminal act for people who exert influence over others to say and do things that will hurt and even kill.
clhs
Care to try that headline again but with correct punctuation?
MISTERJETT
he forgot to add……..”and spread the virus”.
MISTERJETT
miss thing, please!!!! we know what it’s saying.
Ginger Tom
A lot of people, including the brash and arrogant Rand Paul, are not taking account of the unpredictable behaviour of the virus and they are talking and acting as if they are some kind of expert, nevertheless. If I told you to contract dengue fever for the second time, if you knew anything about it, you would say I was crazy because the second time you catch it you usually die. That has happened in some cases of Covid-19. On the other hand there are some cases where the second time contracting Covid was asymptomatic. This is what people don’t get. It is not predictable so you can’t pretend you know what it is going to do to you. Stop talking like you do.
If you think you are never going to catch it, but in the next few weeks and months things don’t turn out so well and if you are lying in ICU and the virus is rapidly turning your lungs and every other bodily organ into offal, just reflect before you pass over as to whether you were just that little bit complacent and whether you should have been a little bit more humble.