The family of a Covid-19 conspiracy theorist who ultimately died of the virus has been ridiculed for “begging” for money and launching a fundraising page — with strangers accusing them of “stupidity” and urging potential donors not “to help pay for the funeral of someone who caused others to die”.
H. Scott Apley, a leader of the Texas Republican Party and Dickinson City Council member, is one of a growing number of highly publicised cases of people getting seriously ill or dying of coronavirus after railing against masks, bashing vaccines, and playing down the gravity of the pandemic — which, in America, has infected more than 39 million people to date.
The official death toll in the US stands at more than 642,000.
Across forums, within social media profiles and on dedicated websites, the names and faces of Covid-19 sceptics, conspiracy theorists and anti-vaxxers who’ve been struck down are being meticulously collated.
There’s an entire subreddit dedicated to recipients of the Herman Cain Award, named after the Republican powerbroker and presidential hopeful who downplayed coronavirus before dying from it.
And operators of the website sorryantivaxxer.com say they can’t keep up with submissions.
Mr Apley was well known for his outspoken views on the efficacy of vaccines and mask-wearing.
