BOISE, Idaho — On Wednesday night, a post on Idaho Rep. Tammy Nichols' (R-Middleton) personal Facebook page began circulating on social media before it was taken down.
The original post claimed the death of Samantha Hickey, the 45-year-old nurse practitioner from Caldwell, was a hoax. 10 days ago, it was reported that Hickey died due to complications of COVID-19.
The post stated that COVID-19 was not the cause of Hickey's death, and it was being reported as such to incite fear in the public.
Nichols also contributed to another thread saying Hickey died with COVID as opposed to from COVID. As KTVB reported last week, there is a distinction between the two phrases.
Hickey's death, however, was not misreported.
KTVB reached out to Nichols for comment on the matter. She said she didn't have time to talk on camera but sent this statement:
"I saw the post and shared it on my private Facebook page without comment or sentiment so that I could go back and look into it, as I found the post intriguing, and wanted to see just what exactly was said regarding the unfortunate death of the nurse. I did not delete the post on my end, I am not sure what happened to it. The reality is that I posted it so that it was easy for me to find and look into later."
Nichols went on to say that her understanding is dying from COVID-19 implies there were no other underlying health issues or circumstances while dying with COVID-19 implies other health issues or circumstances were involved.
"I think there is a lot of information out there in the government, health care and science communities without consensus and that continues to change," Nichols wrote. "This makes it difficult for the public to trust what they are being told."
As previously stated, there is a difference between dying from and with COVID-19, as we learned this week from Deputy State Epidemiologist Dr. Kathyrn Turner.
In order for COVID-19 to be considered a cause on a death certificate, it has to be a considerable factor. In this case, it was. Hickey suffered a heart attack caused by what the virus did to her body.
Information on COVID-19 is changing as we learn more about it. When asked who is to be trusted with the most up-to-date information and scientifically sound advice, Nichols said the issue lies in the question.
"Regardless of the information coming out, there is still no consensus and there is still a contradiction. Guidance and recommendations are helpful, but can also be harmful," Nichols wrote. "My health and safety is my responsibility, and I would never expect someone else to be held responsible to keep me safe or know what is in my best health interest."
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