Conservative Radio Host Who Called Himself 'Mr. Anti-Vax' Dies from COVID After 3 Week Battle

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A conservative radio host, who called himself "Mr. Anti-Vax," has died from COVID-19 after a three-week battle with the virus. He was 65.

On Saturday, the radio station where Marc Bernier worked — News Daytona Beach (WNDB) — announced his death in a social media statement.

"It's with great sadness that WNDB and Southern Stone Communications announce the passing of Marc Bernier, who informed and entertained listeners on WNDB for over 30 years," the station tweeted.

"We kindly ask that privacy is given to Marc's family during this time of grief," they added.

RELATED: Conservative Radio Host Phil Valentine, Who Regretted Vaccine Skepticism, Dead After COVID Battle

The Ormond Beach, Florida resident was originally hospitalized earlier this month on Aug. 7, according to the Daytona Beach News-Journal.

"I don't have an update on him at this point, other than he has been hospitalized," said Mark McKinney, the station's operations director. He later told the outlet that Bernier received his COVID diagnosis only a day prior.

Marcos del Mazo/LightRocket via Getty Pfizer-BioNTech COVID vaccine

At the time that Bernier was hospitalized with COVID-19, McKinney told Daytona Beach News-Journal, "If you've listened to his show, you've heard him talk about how anti-vaccine he is on the air."

Back in December, Bernier even told one guest on his talk show of the vaccine, per The Guardian, "I'm not taking it … Are you kidding me? Mr Anti-Vax? Jeepers."

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Bernier's death marks the latest in a string of conservative and anti-vaccination radio hosts who have died from COVID-19.

Phil Valentine, an employee of Nashville radio station WWTN, died from COVID-19 earlier this month, as did Newsmax anchor and conservative radio host Dick Farrel.

Multiple large-scale studies have found that vaccines are safe. There is no scientific link between vaccines and autism, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

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