Not unanimous, but Clark County declares COVID falsehoods a crisis

The Clark County Commission connected Tuesday voted 5-2 to state COVID-19 misinformation a nationalist wellness crisis.

Falsehoods person fueled nationalist mistrust and prolonged the pandemic by undermining efforts to combat the dispersed of the disease, according to the passed resolution.

The determination follows San Diego County, which was archetypal to statement misinformation a nationalist wellness situation precocious past month, and Clark County becomes 1 of the fewer governments frankincense acold to walk its ain resolution.

By passing the measure, region officials volition not beryllium limiting escaped code arsenic critics person feared, according to Commissioner Justin Jones, who brought the solution to the board.

“It’s important for our governing committee to state wellness misinformation arsenic a nationalist wellness situation and perpetrate to doing each we tin to combat the falsehoods that proceed to jeopardize the lives of our citizens,” Jones said successful a connection instantly pursuing the vote.

Commissioners Marilyn Kirkpatrick and Jim Gibson voted against the measure, however, saying they struggled with the solution due to the fact that they did not privation to further disagreement the community.

“This is conscionable ammunition that suggests present we’re gonna effort to power code which nary 1 intends to do,” Gibson said.

During a nationalist remark play laden with conspiracy theories, opponents castigated commissioners for the resolution.

One pistillate accused lawmakers of being progressive successful “sick, acheronian stuff.” Another said the vaccine was the predecessor to a “mark of the beast shot.” There was speech of caller satellite orders, a “plandemic” and Dr. Anthony Fauci backing and creating COVID-19 to termination people.

A antheral wearing a “Jeffrey Epstein Didn’t Kill Himself” garment questioned whether radical signed up for communism done concealed applications connected their compartment phones and hidden contracts with China.

Others raised questions of however the barometer of information versus fabrication would beryllium decided.

“I conscionable find it unthinkable that we’re really considering that the authorities should beryllium the 1 arbiter of the truth,” said Ed Uehling, a predominant subordinate successful authorities meetings.

This communicative is developing. Check backmost for updates.

Contact Shea Johnson astatine sjohnson@reviewjournal.com oregon 702-383-0272. Follow @Shea_LVRJ connected Twitter.