NC hospital chair shared China COVID-19 conspiracy theory, posted about stay-at-home ‘tyranny’
The board chairman of Gaston County’s largest health care system has shared political coronavirus posts on social media including one calling stay-at-home orders “tyranny” and another speculating whether the pandemic was caused by “a secret Chinese bio-warfare weapon.”
The posts from Donnie Loftis, chairman of CaroMont Health’s board and former Gaston County commissioners chairman, came after Gaston — and many others in the state — adopted local restrictions on businesses and public activity. Gov. Roy Cooper issued a statewide stay-at-home order on March 27 that is scheduled to last through May 8, and North Carolina has closed all public schools through the end of the school year.
CaroMont Health restricted visitors to its facilities, and urged the public to stay home and practice social distancing efforts. In a statement on the hospital’s website on April 15, officials said PPE for health care workers was in short supply — “That’s why it is absolutely imperative people who can stay home, stay home.”
Three days later, Loftis shared on his Facebook page a picture that reads: “Quarantine is when you restrict the movement of sick people. Tyranny is when you restrict the movement of healthy people.”
Loftis couldn’t be reached by phone, email or Facebook directly. Loftis is a district training store manager at CVS Health and has served in the U.S. Army National Guard, according to his LinkedIn page.
Loftis isn’t paid by CaroMont, according to the health system’s latest tax forms. And CaroMont said Loftis’s views do not reflect the positions of the health system.
At one time, Loftis appeared to support the county’s stay at home order, but has since shared posts saying people should be more concerned about the “loss” of their rights than the spread of the virus.
Loftis has also shared conspiracy theories about COVID-19, posted in support of anti-abortion protesters violating the stay-at-home order and railed against efforts to encourage absentee voting in wake of the outbreak.
On Tuesday, Loftis shared a picture that reads: “Just remember what the government attacked first in a time of crisis: church, gun stores, freedom to run your business, freedom to assemble. Every single one of these rights is protected by the Constitution.”
Loftis has also shared a video of Dr. Daniel Erickson and Dr. Artin Massihi, who have been featured on Fox News. The pair have compared the coronavirus to the flu and pushed for lifting stay-at-home orders in California. The American Academy of Emergency Medicine and the American College of Emergency Physicians released a statement Monday to “emphatically condemn” the statements of the two doctors as “reckless and untested musings.”
CaroMont response
Members of the not-for-profit health system’s Board of Directors are appointed as volunteers, CaroMont said in a statement Wednesday to the Observer.
“As private citizens, (board members) often hold professional positions, personal beliefs and independent opinions that are separate from their service to CaroMont Health,” CaroMont said in a statement. “Any actions taken, or beliefs expressed, outside of their official capacity as a Board member are not statements made on the behalf of CaroMont Health nor an indication of the health system’s position on any topic, situation or circumstance.”
After The Observer asked CaroMont about Loftis’s Facebook posts, his personal page was made private. Before, the posts and comments were shared publicly.
“CaroMont Health and the Board of Directors remain focused and committed to our most important work: protecting the health and safety of our doctors, nurses, employees and community, and providing life-saving and life-changing care for our patients,” the health system said.
Gaston County has seen far fewer cases of COVID-19 than neighboring Mecklenburg. Gaston has reported three COVID-19 deaths and at least 143 confirmed cases, as of Thursday. The county says 122 people have recovered from the illness.
The virus has hit health care workers, too. The Gaston Gazette reported earlier this week that a 23-year-old CaroMont nurse spent much of April hospitalized with coronavirus.
‘Chinese bio-warfare weapon?’
The Observer reviewed Loftis’s Facebook posts going back to March.
On March 11, Gaston County officials opened a hotline for coronavirus questions and that same week, the county began urging social distancing and recommended canceling mass gatherings. The county declared a state of emergency on March 15.
On March 14, Loftis posted two conspiracy theory videos about COVID-19.
First, he posted a link to a video comparing COVID-19 to a fictional illness described in Dean Koontz’s book “The Eyes of Darkness,” published in 1981. “This is incredible information,” Loftis posted.
But the disease described in Koontz’s book has almost no similarities to COVID-19, except that it originated in Wuhan, China. Snopes has debunked the theory that Koontz predicted the coronavirus pandemic.
Loftis also posted an India Today video analyzing conspiracy theories around the origins of the new coronavirus. Loftis shared the video, titled “Is Coronavirus a secret Chinese bio-warfare weapon?” and added his own take: “I’m not a conspiracy guy but some of this is very strange…” In the eight minute video Loftis shared, the theory of bio-warfare is deemed unsubstantiated.
In late March, Loftis appeared to support stay-at-home measures, calling COVID-19 “a killer virus.”
Gaston County issued its order on March 26. Loftis shared the Gaston Gazette story on the order and said: “Folks stay home ... we’re not on vacation. We’re fighting a killer virus.”
On April 2, Gaston County reported its first confirmed COVID-19 death. Loftis shared the news on Facebook, saying: “It now has hit home … so sorry for this loss of life.”
Days later, on April 7, Loftis shared another video sharing conspiracy theories about the virus, alleging China is profiting from COVID-19, saying: “Very interesting…”
And on April 8, after eight anti-abortion protesters were arrested in Charlotte for violating the state ban on mass gatherings, Loftis posted an article about the protesters, saying: “Thank you for taking a stand and being committed to a just cause.”
By mid-April, CaroMont Health was praising the impact local and state stay-at-home orders were having on the reduced spread of COVID-19.
“Stay at Home measures are working,” the hospital said in an April 15 statement on its website. “… We are certainly not out of the woods, but there are signs of progress.”
Loftis, though, shared a picture on April 14 of a pie chart that reads: “What I worry about. COVID-19: 0.5, Loss of my rights: 99.5. You should be worried also.”
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