Ted Nugent has once again said that he won’t take the COVID-19 vaccine because the shots that are available in the United States were developed in less than a year are probably fake.
Like antivaccine activists, talk show hosts, and far-right politicians, Ted — who spoke openly about his battle with COVID-19 six months ago — has made the vaccines’ “experimental” nature a talking point.
During an October 1 appearance on “Off The Record”, a weekly coverage of Michigan’s governor’s office, the state legislature, the political campaign trail and state government, Ted said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “I actually think that the COVID-19 might be a weaponized virus created in Wuhan [China] by Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi and [Doctor Anthony] Fauci. How silly of me.
“Listen, I got the Wuhan weaponized virus, and I survived quite nicely after a couple of days because I did what the government told me not to do, which is what I always do,” he continued. “Because what the government tells you to do is always the wrong thing. I took hydroxychloroquine, ivermectin, steroids and zinc and continued with my healthy lifestyle, being clean and sober and eating venison. And my wife and I recovered in just a few days, which means we have the antibodies and that we have a strengthened and fortified immune system against experimental shots.”
The outspoken conservative rocker, who said he was sharing “truth, logic, and common sense with people who care,” doubled down on his assertion that the COVID-19 vaccines are not real. “It’s not a vaccine,” he said. “It’s an experimental shot. Now the FDA was forced to authorize it recently, but they were jabbing people with an experimental shot right up until that fake authorization.
“I work with dedicated medical professionals, scientists, biologists and virologists, and there’s an army consisting of tens of thousands of professional health masters who call it an experimental shot. And you shouldn’t get it if you don’t wanna get it.
“I don’t believe it’s a vaccine,” he reiterated. “Most of America doesn’t believe it’s a vaccine. The only ones that are taking it are either gullible or being forced because they’re gonna lose their job, lose their life and lose their livelihood.
“This is a tragic time in America. It’s an experimental shot, and if you try to give it to me, I’ll experiment on you.”
Asked what he would say to the people who believe it’s a worthwhile vaccine and it’s saving lives, Ted said: “I appreciate the opportunity to speak to the people that went ahead and got the jab. I speak their language. I will speak to them thusly: Baaaaaah,” he said, imitating a sheep. “Baaaaaah. Baaaaaah. Baaaaaah. They understand that.”
When senior Capitol correspondent Tim Skubick asked Nugent point blank if he believes that the millions of people who got the shot are “just stupid,” Ted replied: “Yup.” He then clarified that he has “buddies” and “family” members “who took it because of the overwhelming pressure and the propaganda pounding and the fear that has been cultivated by this out-of-control treasonous government. [You] can call this rhetoric, but this is the pulse of thinking, critical-thinking America and critical-thinking people around the world. The evidence that supports every word I speak outweighs the evidence that you’re alluding to. So I’m not alone here.
“This isn’t radical stuff,” Ted added. “This is critical thinking based on science, based on medical professionals who are very dedicated, and I take their advice. It’s an experimental shot. Don’t come near me with your needle.”
In April, Nugent talked about the darkest days of his battle with COVID-19, saying that he had “never been so scared” in his entire life. The 72-year-old pro-gun activist, who had previously claimed the virus was “not a real pandemic,” said: “It was really scary. I didn’t think I was gonna make it. I literally couldn’t function for about 20 hours, and then they came and they rescued me… The six-foot-two, 225-pound headache [this time] was like nothing I have ever experienced. I mean, from my tip of my toes to the top of my hair, I literally was dizzy and weak and struggled to get up to go to the bathroom. And I would lay in the bathtub a couple of times a day with the water as hot as I could take it just to divert.”
Ted also said that he was being treated for COVID-19 by a group of doctors who made a video last year calling for the use of hydroxychloroquine to battle the novel coronavirus, despite warnings from public health experts. Nugent went on to detail his clinical management of COVID-19, saying he was taking hydroxychloroquine, “a proven drug for 65 years,” as well as ivermectin, “another proven drug.”
Hydroxychloroquine is the malaria drug pushed by then-president Donald Trump that proved ineffective against COVID-19. In April 2020, the Food and Drug Administration issued a safety warning, saying the drugs could cause heart-rhythm problems and warning they should be used only in the hospital setting or in clinical trials.
Ivermectin, an antiparasitic drug used to treat several neglected tropical diseases in humans is also used in veterinary medicine. According to The Washington Post, the Food and Drug Administration said at least three people were hospitalized in February after taking the veterinary formulation. It warned that high doses can cause allergic reactions, seizures, liver injury and even death.
In the past, Nugent, a staunch Donald Trump supporter, had referred to the virus as a “leftist scam to destroy” America’s 45th president. He had also repeated a narrative pushed by conservative media and disputed by health experts that suggests the official death count from the coronavirus is inflated.
