Radio host who pushed for vaccine boycott dies of COVID-19, co-host announces

A conservative radio talk show host and preacher in Denver who spoke out against COVID-19 vaccines has died after contracting the coronavirus, one of his co-hosts announced.

Bob Enyart, who reportedly pushed unfounded claims about vaccines on his radio program and website, earlier this year urged his followers to boycott the vaccine in an attempt “to further increase social tension and put pressure on the child killers.”

Fred Williams, one of Enyart’s co-hosts, announced his death on Facebook on Monday.

“It comes with an extremely heavy heart that my close friend and co-host of Real Science Radio has lost his battle with Covid,” Williams wrote.

“Bob Enyart was one of the smartest, and without question the wisest person I’ve known,” Williams added. “All the while being exceedingly kind and humble, and always, always willing to listen and discuss anything you wanted.” 

The Jefferson County, Colo., coroner confirmed to The Washington Post that Enyart had died, but did not say when he died or provide an official cause of death, citing privacy concerns. 

The Post noted Enyart is at least the fifth conservative radio host who cast doubt on vaccines or advocated against mask mandates and other public health measures to die after contracting the coronavirus. In August, Tennessee-based radio host Phil Valentine died of COVID-19 after expressing skepticism about vaccines and later saying he regretted not being inoculated. 

Enyart last year sued the state of Colorado to grant a temporary restraining order against a local public-health order on mask use at religious services, and rules limiting gatherings at the time to 175 people, Westword, a Denver-based news outlet, reported. 

In another passage on his website, Enyart criticized journalists who he suggested “recklessly use the term ‘cases’ conflate antibody tests, viral tests, and those who are sick with the actual disease, as if there were no difference between the virus, SARS-CoV-2, and the COVID-19 disease that it may or may not cause.” 

“Such irresponsible reporting in and of itself can kill people because ideas have consequences,” he added.