Right-wing radio host Marc Bernier, who has spoken out at length against the coronavirus vaccine, has been hospitalized with COVID-19.
The longtime Florida-based commentator was admitted to a Daytona Beach area hospital on Saturday, a top official at his radio station, WNDB, confirmed to the Daytona Beach News Journal on Monday.
“I don’t have an update on him at this point, other than he has been hospitalized,” Mark McKinney, the station’s operations director, told the outlet.
Bernier had been sick at home and off the air for the week leading up to his hospitalization.
As host of “The Marc Bernier Show,” Bernier had expressed anti-vaccine sentiment less than a week before his hospitalization. On July 30, he quote-tweeted a Fox News PSA urging people to be vaccinated with, “Should say, ‘Now the US Government is acting like Nazi’s. Get the shot!’”
The news of his hospitalization arrives amid a spike in COVID-19 cases in Florida (breaking the daily record of 22,783 new coronavirus cases on Friday), as well as among anti-vax media personalities.
Dick Farrel, another radio host from the Sunshine State, died last week due to complications from the coronavirus. Farrel had been a vocal opponent of the coronavirus vaccine and a vehement critic of Dr. Anthony Fauci.
Upon hearing about Bernier’s ailment, Florida Democratic U.S. House candidate Richard Thripp wished him a speedy recovery, as did a local councilman that had contracted the virus while also encouraging Floridians to get vaccinated.
“We are hoping for the recovery of Daytona Beach radio host Marc Bernier and Port Orange Councilman Chase Tramont, who are both hospitalized with COVID-19,” Thripp tweeted. “Please get vaccinated if you haven’t already. The risk is too high not to.”
