For more than a year, right-wing media personalities have unleashed an onslaught of disinformation regarding the pandemic that's killed over 600 thousand Americans.
Even with the widespread availability of lifesaving vaccines proven to be safe and effective, this disinformation has only worsened, with pundits promoting skepticism and outright lies to discourage viewers from getting the shot.
Among these is far-right commentator Candace Owens, who has repeatedly worked to undermine basic safety measures like vaccines and masks, eagerly repeating the false talking points that have led to untold numbers of preventable deaths.
This week, Owens sought a Covid test from a private facility, and a letter of the facility's owner refusing to meet her request is going viral.
Read below.
Candace Owens was denied service by the owner of a privately owned COVID testing center \n\n\u201cIt would be unfair to [my team] and to the sacrifices we have all made this year to serve you\u201dpic.twitter.com/RuIlvPaDtk— philip lewis (@philip lewis) 1630553214
Written by facility owner Suzanna Lee, the letter reads in part:
"We cannot support anyone who has pro-actively worked to make this pandemic worse by spreading misinformation, politicizing, and DISCOURAGING the wearing of masks and actively dissuading people from receiving life-saving vaccinations."
It continues:
"My team and myself have worked overtime, to exhaustion, unpaid and underpaid this past year, spending our own capital to ensure that our community remains protected. It would be unfair to them and to the sacrifices we have all made this year to serve you."
Owens soon posted a response, calling the email "hysterical" and referring to Lee as a "rabid activist".
Just finished my live on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/tv/CTTTQcSJqQe/?utm_medium=copy_link\u00a0\u2026\n\nAs promised\u2014 here is the email from the rabid activist declining to give me a test, plus my response to her. She clearly isn\u2019t stable enough to work in health and is a danger to the Aspen community.pic.twitter.com/nV7xMGqVN3— Candace Owens (@Candace Owens) 1630548413
But social media users overwhelmingly sided with Lee.
Good evening to Suzanna and Suzanna only. https://twitter.com/phil_lewis_/status/1433270178352091139\u00a0\u2026— Joy-Ann (Pro-Democracy) Reid \ud83d\ude37 (@Joy-Ann (Pro-Democracy) Reid \ud83d\ude37) 1630553874
I don\u2019t know who this Suzanna is but I must find her and buy her a drink https://twitter.com/briantylercohen/status/1433265904075292672\u00a0\u2026— Heather Gardner (@Heather Gardner) 1630553732
Suzanna Lee, I salute you! https://twitter.com/phil_lewis_/status/1433270178352091139\u00a0\u2026— PhDeezNutz (@PhDeezNutz) 1630584997
Dear Aspen, \nSuzanna should have a parade when the time is right.https://twitter.com/TheeKHiveQueenB/status/1433279110139187205\u00a0\u2026— Eminently \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08 (@Eminently \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08) 1630555715
Candace Owens denied a Covid-19 at a private testing facility in Aspen, CO... \n\nRead the e-mail she posted. \nBravo, Suzanna!pic.twitter.com/cTReuWPapS— Lucie Catnip (@Lucie Catnip) 1630555375
And they weren't having Owens' rebuttal.
Insists that COVID isn\u2019t a real thing and then gets surprised when she\u2019s denied service\u2026 \n\nPlay stupid games, win stupid prices, Candace.https://twitter.com/realcandaceo/status/1433250041314136067\u00a0\u2026— A potato (@A potato) 1630595967
Let me see if I understand this correctly. For months you have pretended COVID-19 is no big deal and tweeted disinformation that put countless lives at risk, and yet you still wanted to get tested? It sounds like Delta paid you a visit, and now you are scared.https://twitter.com/RealCandaceO/status/1433250041314136067\u00a0\u2026— Christopher Bouzy (@Christopher Bouzy) 1630576557
Can someone explain to me why @RealCandaceO tried to get tested for something she has spent the last year and a half telling everyone isn\u2019t a real thing?https://twitter.com/realcandaceo/status/1433250041314136067\u00a0\u2026— Landscaping America (@Landscaping America) 1630590860
Play stupid, deadly games. Win stupid, deadly prizes Candace. You literally brought this on yourself.\nAlso "a PrIvAtE bUsInEsS cAn Do WhAtEvEr ThEy WaNt" except when y'all don't like it.https://twitter.com/RealCandaceO/status/1433250041314136067\u00a0\u2026— TheWrathofCon\ud83d\ude37TeamModerna-NoAccountabilityNoUnity (@TheWrathofCon\ud83d\ude37TeamModerna-NoAccountabilityNoUnity) 1630577482
Lee did, however, provide Owens with directions on how to get a test elsewhere.
@RonFilipkowski/X