Lewis County Commissioner Sean Swope confirmed Thursday that he tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this month, and that in fighting off the virus he “took everything that the CDC said not to take.”
That includes ivermectin, the drug the CDC and state Department of Health (DOH) have both issued warnings against after poison control calls nationwide increased five-fold compared to pre-pandemic levels. Washington saw a similar uptick, according to DOH, which told residents in August the drug is ineffective in treating or preventing COVID-19 and is potentially dangerous.
That aligns with the guidance from the National Institutes of Health.
At recent public events against COVID-19 mandates, the unvaccinated commissioner has promoted the use of ivermectin and another drug national health organizations have similarly recommended against. Swope has also incorrectly stated that more hospitalized COVID-19 patients are vaccinated than unvaccinated.
Ivermectin is generally used to treat lice, river blindness and rosacea, as well as parasites in livestock.
Despite no solid evidence supporting its use against COVID-19, ivermectin has been strongly promoted in circles most resistant to COVID-19 vaccines and related mandates.
According to the CDC, individuals have been accessing not only retail pharmacy versions of the drug, but those intended for animals.
“I definitely didn’t get mine at a farm store,” Swope told The Chronicle. “I definitely don’t think taking horse pills is smart.”
He noted that while he tried to access monoclonal antibody therapy — a treatment Lewis County public health officials have said is in limited supply — he was unable to do so.
Swope said publicly Sept. 13 that he was quarantining after a potential COVID-19 exposure, but didn’t publicly announce his positive diagnosis. When asked if he had considered doing so, Swope said “definitely no. I mean, I don’t know what good it’s going to do for people to know I had COVID, other than people will say mean things and some people will say nice things.”
Swope added that he was confident in his recovery this month “because I live a healthy, active lifestyle. We eat right, just do things that are more proactive rather than reactive.”
During his quarantine, Lindsey Pollock was the sole in-person commissioner, with Gary Stamper still in a Vancouver Intensive Care Unit battling COVID-19.
Swope has been attending county meetings virtually but said he’ll be back in-person on Monday.
