Sanford Health, which operates hundreds of hospitals and clinics in the rural Midwest, is distancing itself from the controversial comments of its CEO—who said he won’t wear a mask because he believes he is immune after contracting and recovering from COVID-19. “Kelby Krabbenhoft’s email was based on his own experience with COVID-19 and his personal opinions about the virus. They do not reflect the views of our health system as a whole,” Sanford said in a statement Friday, according to the Argus Leader. It’s still not clear how much immunity COVID patients have or for how long, and there are documented cases of re-infection. But Krabbenhoft said in an email to staff that he knows he is immune for at least seven months. “For me to wear a mask defies the efficacy and purpose of a mask and sends an untruthful message that I am susceptible to infection or could transmit it. I have no interest in using masks as a symbolic gesture,” the hospital chief, who is not a doctor, wrote.
