A conservative radio host and vaccine sceptic, who said he wouldn't get vaccinated because he had a "Low risk" of getting COVID-19 and dying from it, has died after being hospitalized with the virus, his employer said.
Phil Valentine's death at age 61 was announced Saturday by Nashville radio station SuperTalk 99.7 WTN. The Tennessee-based talk radio host got first hospitalized in late July with the virus. A statement from his family at the time of his hospitalization said his illness led him to have second thoughts and regrets about the vaccines' significance and encouraged people to "go get vaccinated." Valentine had expressed his scepticism of the coronavirus vaccines and masks on his radio program and social media, with one of his last tweets on July 15 questioning the safety of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
In December, he tweeted that people should do a "Risk assessment" on whether they should get vaccinated. "I have a low risk of A) Getting COVID and B) dying of it if I do.
Why would I risk getting a heart attack or paralysis by getting the vaccine?" he posted. He also recorded a Beatles parody song, "Vaxman," that mocked the vaccine.
