Kristy Swanson, the original "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" who has been slammed for spreading misinformation relating to COVID-19, has been hospitalized in New Jersey after contracting the virus.
The actor made the announcement Monday in a tweet to her 390,000 followers.
"Prayers for me please. Yesterday I took an ambulance ride to the hospital. I’m still here with pneumonia, I’m on oxygen etc, all [COVID] related of course. I’m in good spirits and in great hands," she wrote.
Swanson explained that she was "at the tail end of my [COVID] diagnosis when it jumped into my lungs," adding that she was being treated with blood thinners and baricitinib, a drug used to treat rheumatoid arthritis that has now been approved by the FDA for emergency use to treat COVID-19.
Swanson has faced widespread backlash over information she has promoted about the coronavirus on Twitter. She recently shared anti-mask and anti-vaccine content as well as a retweet that read: "I’ve had it with puppy-killing COVID fascists lke Fauci."
Shortly after informing followers of her hospitalization, Swanson was faced with another wave of backlash and was forced to defend herself from critics who called her out for her controversial views. Responding to one commenter who said they were not praying for her but for the health care providers treating her after not receiving her vaccine, Swanson wrote that she was "praying for you to learn facts."
Swanson also pointed out to another Twitter user that "vaccinated people are spreading [COVID]" after coming under fire from social media users accusing her of spreading COVID-19 after reportedly choosing not to get vaccinated. In another tweet, Swanson dismissed accusations that she was an anti-vaxxer. It remains unclear whether she has received the vaccine.
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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