Dec 10, 2020

Wyoming official quits after calling COVID-19 communist plot

Posted Dec 10, 2020 4:30 PM

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — A Wyoming Department of Health official who falsely described the coronavirus and development of vaccines against it as a communist plot has resigned.

Igor Shepherd made the remarks at an event in Colorado last month and they undermined Wyoming’s public health efforts to contain the coronavirus.

A health department spokeswoman said Wednesday that Shepherd submitted his resignation Tuesday and that department officials accepted it the same day.

Shepherd couldn’t be reached for comment.

A listed phone number for him did not work and as of Wednesday he had not returned social media and work phone messages left last Friday.