Kevin Clifton, 38, addressed one of his 251,600 Twitter followers after they said they were “disappointed” with him, incorrectly thinking he was “encouraging” people to wear a COVID “mask exemption” badge like actor Laurence Fox. The former Strictly Come Dancing professional had joked that the actor was “fighting for his right” to wear “a lanyard”, after the Lewis star had uploaded an impassioned post explaining that he had obtained the badge from Amazon last weekend.
Laurence said he is currently battling anxiety as he explained the reasoning behind him no longer wearing a mandatory face covering.
Some social media users were left unimpressed with his justification, as they asked why he would put others most at risk from the severe side effects of the virus in further jeopardy.
Kevin appeared to mock Laurence’s post as he retweeted a photo of the actor wearing the badge attached to a lanyard and typed: “Fighting for his right to wear a lanyard.”
However, his humour was misinterpreted by one of his followers who responded: “Normally I agree with you. Not on this though.
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In the replies section, some users questioned his actions, as they noted that many would be left more vulnerable to become unwell over his decision to not wear a mask.
One said: “I have severe lung fibrosis as a result of sarcoidosis. I’m extremely vulnerable to the virus. I have l limited lung function but wish everyone would wear a mask, like I do whenever I go out. What’s your excuse for putting me at risk?”
Another said: “My son who was on a leukaemia ward caught COVID 19 on his ward in hospital. It put him into Intensive Care. He was 13 and is no longer with us. This is not about you. It is about protecting the elderly and vulnerable. Be thankful that you cannot know my anger about your words.”
However, others agreed with Laurence as they claimed that the science behind the protection rate of masks is still “unproven”.
A user responded: “Some of us believe they do more harm than good. ‘The science’ is unclear and unproven.”
While a second wrote: “I’ve got one but have only worn it once, the rest of the time wearing a mask. I get terrible anxiety wearing masks & feel like I’m going to pass out when I have it on above the nose (so I normally wear it under my nose, when at least I can breathe a bit). Masks are bad for health.”
The actor was previously married to Doctor Who star Billie before they split in 2016, and he is now the leader of new political party Reclaim.
Express.co.uk has contacted Laurence Fox’s spokesperson for comment.