Herd immunity advocate Dr. Scott Atlas, President Donald Trump’s coronavirus advisor, a Fox News doc who has no background in infectious diseases or epidemiology, has resigned.
Dr. Atlas, a radiologist, was hired by Trump after he saw him on Fox News parroting the president’s false beliefs.
Fox News broke the story, quoting from what is a staggeringly self-congratulatory letter of resignation.
“I worked hard with a singular focus—to save lives and help Americans through this pandemic,” Atlas wrote, falsely claiming he “always relied on the latest science and evidence, without any political consideration or influence.”
But, as Fox News notes, “Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield reportedly criticized Atlas, claiming that ‘everything he says is false.'”
Atlas opposed masks and closing of businesses and schools to get the spread of the virus under control.
Last month he tweeted, “Masks work? NO.” Twitter was forced to remove the lie.
Two weeks ago Atlas urged Americans to visit their elderly relatives for Thanksgiving – something the CDC and most health experts warned against – saying it might be their loved ones “final” Thanksgiving.
But Atlas seemed on the way out after calling on Michigan Trump supporters to “rise up” against Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who had been the target of multiple plots to kidnap and harm or kill her.
Fox News reports Atlas’s term was set to expire this week.