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A Californian who made fun of Covid-19 vaccines on social media has died after a month-long battle with the virus.
Stephen Harmon, a member of the Hillsong mega-church, had been a vocal opponent of vaccines, making a series of jokes about not having the vaccine.
“I have 99 problems but a vax isn’t one,” the 34-year-old tweeted to his 7,000 followers in June.
He was treated for pneumonia and Covid-19 at a hospital outside Los Angeles, where he died on Wednesday.
In the days leading up to his death, Mr Harmon documented his struggle to stay alive, posting photos of himself in his hospital bed.
“Please all pray, they really want to intubate me and put me on a ventilator,” he said.
In his last tweet on Wednesday, Mr Harmon said he decided to undergo intubation.
“I don’t know when I’m going to wake up, please pray,” he wrote.
Despite his battle with the virus, Mr Harmon has always said he would refuse to be stung, saying his religious faith will protect him.
Before his death, he had joked about the pandemic and vaccines, sharing memes saying he trusted the Bible rather than American disease expert Dr Anthony Fauci.
Hillsong founder Brian Houston confirmed the news of his death in a tweet Thursday.
“Ben has just passed on the devastating news to us that our beloved friend Stephen Harmon has passed away from Covid. Heartbreaking,” Mr. Houston said.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CRnkbZ4MTsn/
In an Instagram post, he paid tribute to Mr. Harmon.
“He was one of the most generous people I know and he had so much going on,” he wrote on Instagram.
“He always showed up at our grandchildren’s football games and will be missed by so many people. RIP.”
He added that the church encourages its members “to follow the advice of their doctors.”
California has seen an increase in Covid-19 cases in recent weeks, with the majority being taken to hospital without vaccinations.
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