Politics

Former Republican politician who shunned face masks at Trump rally hospitalised with coronavirus

A former Republican presidential hopeful has been hospitalised with coronavirus just hours after telling his half a million Twitter followers “people are fed up” with wearing masks.

Hermain Cain was at President Donald Trump’s June 20 rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where many in the crowds were seen not wearing face masks or practicing social distancing.

Other attendees at the event later tested positive for the virus.

He also planned to join thousands of people for a July 3 celebration for Independence Day at Mount Rushmore, where attendees would not be required to wear face masks.

Hours before he was hospitalised, he tweeted:

Late last night a member of his staff posted a tweet saying “Herman has just begun the process of kicking COVID-19’s ass”.

It linked to a blog post which read:

“If you wouldn’t mind, pray for our boss; COVID-19 doesn’t know who it’s messing with”.

US President Donald Trump made a surprise shift in his views on wearing a face covering in public, saying in an interview that he is “all for masks”.

The American leader even told Fox Business he thinks wearing a mask makes him look like the fictional Lone Ranger.

He said: “I’m all for masks. I think masks are good. People have seen me wearing one.”

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Jack Peat

Jack is a business and economics journalist and the founder of The London Economic (TLE). He has contributed articles to VICE, Huffington Post and Independent and is a published author. Jack read History at the University of Wales, Bangor and has a Masters in Journalism from the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

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