Tucker Carlson’s COVID-19 coverage would have surely gotten him booted off any responsible news outlet. But on Fox News, Carlson’s record earned him a reward of more airtime.

On a network filled with disinformation about the coronavirus, Carlson was a standout. Media Matters noted that no one else on Fox “attained the same level of consistency and recklessness in their coverage. The site compiled an extensive and yet “non-comprehensive timeline of Carlson’s deranged coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Here are just some of the examples:

Carlson defended Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s claim that grandparents would be willing to die for the economy. [Fox News, Tucker Carlson Tonight, 4/2/20] 

Carlson called it “bewildering” that we are letting public health “experts” make decisions on coronavirus response. [Fox News, Tucker Carlson Tonight, 4/2/20] 

Carlson praised anti-shutdown protesters in Michigan who terrorized and harassed  Whitmer and other state officials over coronavirus mitigation efforts. [Fox News, Tucker Carlson Tonight, 4/15/20; The Washington Post, 11/1/20]

Carlson claimed the threat of the pandemic to rural America was “miniscule.” [Fox News, Tucker Carlson Tonight, 4/23/20]

Carlson insisted social distancing is ineffective in preventing the spread of COVID-19, and his guests echoed this line of misinformation. [Fox News, Tucker Carlson Tonight, 5/1/20, 5/5/20] 

Carson attacked government officials for listening to Dr. Anthony Fauci, calling him an “elderly power-drunk epidemiologist.” [Fox News, Tucker Carlson Tonight, 5/1/20]

In mid-May, Carlson and frequent guest Dr. Marc Siegel insisted that there would be no “big second wave” of coronavirus infections in the U.S. [Fox News, Tucker Carlson Tonight, 5/13/20]

Carlson lied to his audience repeatedly about the effectiveness of masks, claiming “there is no evidence” that they prevent the spread of COVID-19. [Fox News, Tucker Carlson Tonight, 7/13/20]

Carlson accused then-vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris of wanting only “people of a certain color” to get the COVID-19 vaccine, telling his Fox audience, “It’s likely you never imagined affirmative action would be applied to life-saving medical treatment.” [Fox News, Tucker Carlson Tonight, 8/12/20]

Dr. Marc Siegel used Carlson’s show to argue that “it’s almost impossible” for people under the age of 70 to die of COVID-19. [Fox News, Tucker Carlson Tonight, 9/25/20]

Tucker Carlson claimed the vaccine distribution plan is “eugenics” against white people. Falsly claiming that the CDC was basing it's strategy for the vaccine distribution entirely on race. [Fox News, Tucker Carlson Tonight, 12/18/20] 

Although Fox argued successfully in federal court that nobody should take Carlson’s comments seriously, the network subsequently decided it needs more of his “reporting.”

(Carlson image via screen grab)