Philippines receive first batch of Sinovac

Coronavirus 2021: Philippine Updates

As the nation battled the coronavirus last year, Byrd was among 55 members of the Tennessee House who advanced a conspiracy-fueled message that downplayed the infection and blamed the media.

“We congratulate the people of Tennessee for clearly seeing that the mainstream media has sensationalized the reporting on COVID-19 in the service of political agendas,” the resolution said.

Now that Byrd has fought the infection himself, he said the issue should not divide people.

“I hope that by sharing my experience it helps others to act against an enemy that knows no skin color, economic status or political affiliation,” he stated.

According to data cited by The New York Times, Tennessee has seen hospitalizations more than double over the past two weeks. Just 39 percent of the state’s residents are fully vaccinated, well below the national average of 49 percent.

The Washington Post reported that the rate was even lower in Byrd’s district, at 31 percent.

In 2018, three women accused Byrd of sexually assaulted them when they were teenagers and he was their high school basketball coach in the 1980s, leading to bipartisan calls for his resignation.

Byrd released a statement at the time refusing to resign and apologizing “if I hurt or emotionally upset any of my students.”

The Tennessean reported that he has never publicly denied the allegations.

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