The Oregon Medical Board issued an emergency suspension of the license of a doctor who refuses to wear a mask while encouraging his patients to not wear them either.
Steven LaTulippe has repeatedly dismissed the coronavirus as nothing more than a "common cold" and told attendees at a pro-Trump rally in November that neither he nor his staff wears a mask while working in their clinic.
LaTulippe's comments caught the ear of state officials, and they launched an investigation. In addition to his refusal to wear a mask in violation of a state order that requires health care workers to wear face-coverings, the doctor also advised patients to remove their masks. In July, he told a patient they did not need to self-isolate after being exposed to COVID-19 and said being around infected people would eventually lead to herd immunity.
They also found that LaTulippe's office did not screen patients for symptoms of COVID-19 or provide hand sanitizer in the lobby. The state medical board felt that his conduct "constitutes an immediate danger to the public, and presents a serious danger to the public health and safety."
LaTulippe is banned from practicing medicine anywhere in the state until the investigation is completed. It is unclear if he will appeal the decision.
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