A Wyoming Department of Health staffer who described the coronavirus and development of vaccines against it as a communist plot has resigned.
Igor Shepherd, the agency’s readiness and countermeasures manager made the remarks at an event in Colorado last month
Health department spokeswoman Kim Deti said Wednesday that Shepherd submitted his resignation Tuesday and that department officials accepted it the same day.
Deti said Shepherd’s comments hurt Wyoming’s aggressive public education efforts to promote social distancing, mask-wearing, and other measures intended to counter COVID-19
Shepherd, who was involved in the state’s response to the virus but not in a leadership role, had been with the health department since 2013.
Toward the end of his talk in Loveland, Shepherd expressed doubt he would remain with the agency much longer – saying he didn’t enjoy the job anymore .