'Let 'em die': Prominent doctor says maskless Floridians in viral grocery store video should be denied COVID-19 vaccines
A video recorded inside a grocery store in Naples, Florida, has reignited the face mask debate. The viral video shows maskless shoppers and employees at the Oakes Farms Seed to Table Market. One prominent doctor reacted to the polarizing video by saying "let 'em die" about the maskless Americans in the grocery store.
On Wednesday afternoon, NBC News correspondent Sam Brock shared the video on Twitter with the caption: "As #Flordia fights community spread of COVID on a massive scale, this is a 15-second snapshot of a supermarket in Naples. Many employees and customers — even older ones — with no masks on inside. Store sign outside cites 'medical exemptions,' we can't ask questions."
As #Flordia fights community spread of COVID on a massive scale, this is a 15-second snapshot of a supermarket in N… https://t.co/cafKtrm7KJ— Sam Brock (@Sam Brock)1612380287.0
The tweet was retweeted more than 8,000 times and the video has more than 2 million views.
The video also caught the attention of Cleavon Gilman, an emergency room physician who is "fighting for social justice and humanity." The official White House Twitter account thanked Gilman in December, saying, "You have a partner in the Biden-Harris administration."
Gilman went on a Twitter rant about the maskless Floridians seen at the Naples grocery store. Gilman has since deleted the tweets.
"Let'em die. I'm so tired of these people. No vaccines for y'all," Gilman wrote on Twitter to his 153,000 followers.
- “ER doctor on the Covid frontlines fighting for... humanity”- “Let’em die” https://t.co/kzUE9doVaQ— Sophia (PICK ME) Narwitz (@Sophia (PICK ME) Narwitz)1612438676.0
In Gilman's Twitter thread about the Naples supermarket video, he also wrote, "I'm working in the COVID ICU tonight! I'm so tired of giving 200% while others in the U.S. can't even help by simply wearing a mask!"
Gilman claimed, "Republicans trying to take my words out of context as if I deny medical care to people that don't wear masks & 'let 'em die.'
"My point is that we can't waste our energy on these COVID deniers.. they are not gonna protect themselves so let 'em die," the doctor tweeted then deleted. "They'll find out the hard way."
Gilman alleged that he treats "every patient that comes through the door the same."
In November, Gilman tweeted, "Just as active alcoholics with terminal liver disease are REFUSED liver transplants... People who don't follow preventative public health measures against COVID19 should be the LAST to get hospital beds."
Just as active alcoholics with terminal liver disease are REFUSED liver transplants... People who don't follow pr… https://t.co/sw1KobpfMV— Cleavon MD (@Cleavon MD)1606005810.0
On Thursday morning, Brock appeared on NBC's "Today," where he called the Oakes Farms Seed to Table Market grocery store a "stunning representation of COVID neglect."
The store is located in Collier County, which has a mask mandate requiring face coverings to be worn in public until April 13.
The Oakes Farms store does require masks to be worn, but a sign outside the store states, "If you have a medical condition that prevents you from wearing a mask, you are exempt."
"We cannot legally ask you about your medical condition," the sign says, according to Brock.
Brock interviewed Alfie Oakes, the owner of Oakes Farms, who doesn't believe that face masks stop the spread of the coronavirus.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that people wear masks in public settings, at events and gatherings, and anywhere they will be around other people.
New video from a supermarket in Florida shows customers and employees of all ages openly rejecting the rules for ma… https://t.co/rGkNX1fz7P— TODAY (@TODAY)1612440867.0
Chris Wallace and Trump campaign adviser lock horns over first family not wearing masks at the debate
The ill feelings between Chris Wallace and the Trump campaign continued to simmer on Sunday, even though the presidential debate happened nearly a week ago. Wallace butted heads with Steve Cortes, a senior adviser for the Trump campaign, during an interview on "Fox News Sunday."
Wallace pressed Cortes on why the first family were not wearing face masks at the first presidential debate, which Wallace moderated. Wallace asked Cortes, "Do they think that the health and safety rules for everybody else do not apply to them?"
Cortes responded, "Everybody was tested before that event, as you well know."
He continued, "Those of us who went first were tested by Cleveland Clinic directly. Everybody who gets on Air Force One for any trip on Air Force One is tested before they get on."
A feisty Wallace retorted, "It doesn't matter. Everybody that was in that room was tested. Steve, everybody that was in that room was tested and the Cleveland Clinic's regulation was it didn't matter. Everybody except for the three of us on the stage was to wear a mask and people from the Cleveland Clinic came over and offered the first family masks thinking maybe they didn't have them. They were waved away and the commission on presidential debates has issued a statement saying from now on if you don't wear a mask, you're going to be escorted from the hall."
"Everybody was tested beforehand – no, I'm going to finish my question," Wallace continued. "Everybody was told to wear a mask. Why did the first family and the chief of staff feel that the rules for everybody else didn't apply to them?"
Cortes said, "We believe in masks that masks are very useful, the president has worn them on many occasions, including visiting the hospital where he is now a patient, when he was visiting as commander in chief as a guest to visit soldiers there he wore a mask."
During the testy exchange, the Trump campaign adviser noted, "We also believe in some element of individual choice, people were distanced and they had been tested."
Wallace argued that the president's family didn't practice social distancing, claiming that "they broke the rules" set by the Cleveland Clinic.
Cortes then referenced the presidential debate, by saying, "Chris, the way you're starting to harangue me now actually reminds me of what you did to the president during the debate on Tuesday night."
He said that Trump "had to debate not just Joe Biden, but you as well," adding, "You were not a neutral moderator then."
Cortes continued, "People can make reasonable decisions for themselves."
A vexed Wallace replied, "Let me simply say the president interrupted me and the vice president 145 times, so I object to saying I harangued the president. I know it's the talking point."
Last week, Wallace responded to criticism about the way he handled the presidential debate by saying that Trump destroyed his plans for a "substantive" conversation.
"Literally, hundreds of man hours and woman hours between me and my researcher went in to try to prepare a substantive debate and on so many issues — Biden's tax and spending plans, Trump's climate and environmental policies," Wallace said. "You know, I was really hoping for the debate that I think America wanted to see, which was a serious exchange of views."
Internet BLOWS UP When CDC Director Brings Up Future of Masking