A physiotherapist working with the HSE has been accused of professional misconduct over speaking at public events against the use of masks, Covid-19 vaccines and public health guidelines aimed at stopping the spread of the virus.
Anna Marie Stack Rivas appeared before a fitness-to-practise inquiry of CORU – the regulatory body of health and social care professionals – over a series of claims she made about the pandemic while identifying herself as a physiotherapist and healthcare worker.
They include claims that residents of nursing homes aged over 70 were “culled” and that people who allowed their children to wear face masks were causing them “permanent brain damage.”
Ms Stack Rivas also described masks as “satanic symbols” and claimed vaccines were “either maiming or murdering our children,” while the Covid-19 pandemic was “a conspiracy”.
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The physiotherapist, who works for the HSE in Limerick with children with disabilities, rejects three allegations against her of professional misconduct and claims the complaint against her was “vexatious and malicious”. She also denies breaching the code of professional conduct and ethics for physiotherapists and maintains she was expressing honestly held opinions outside of her workplace.
Freedom of expression
She said she was exercising her right to freedom of expression and her views did not affect her ability or capacity to treat people as a physiotherapist. Ms Stack Rivas, who has been a registered physiotherapist since 2018, said attempts to link her with the leader of a far-right political party were “unfounded”.
She maintained that she also complied at all times with HSE protocols while at work including in relation to masks and social distancing. However, she said she chose not to wear a mask when outdoors for health reasons and on the advice of her own doctor.
Ms Stack Rivas claimed personal animosity by a complainant was being used to defame her and threaten her livelihood.
CORU’s professional conduct committee heard the inquiry had been established following a complaint about comments made by Ms Stack Rivas at a public event outside the GPO on O’Connell Street in Dublin on June 29th, 2020 and at another event at an unknown location on December 19th, 2020. She was also criticised over remarks she made during an online interview on December 27th, 2020.
‘Bad flu’
The inquiry heard that at the GPO event, Ms Stack Rivas claimed Covid-19 was “no more than a bad flu for some people and just a common cold for others.”
The inquiry heard that the complaint against Ms Stack Rivas was made by a member of the public from Cork, Simon Noonan, who was concerned about the spread of disinformation about the pandemic.
Under cross-examination by counsel for Ms Stack Rivas, Elaine Finneran BL, Mr Noonan admitted that he had made “quite a few” complaints against healthcare professionals to their regulatory bodies. He confirmed that he does not know Ms Stack Rivas and has never been one of her patients.
The inquiry was adjounred until the autumn.