A post from a doctor comparing COVID-19 to a cold and saying "ALL people will get the virus" is gaining the attention of Winnipeggers, but his own clinic is distancing themselves from his stance.

In a letter written by Dr. W. P. Grobler out of the South Sherbrook Health Centre and Pharmacy, the doctor shares his opinion on COVID-19.

"The virus causing COVID-19 is a Cold Virus and causes cold symptoms for the vast majority of people infected between the ages of 0-80. It is not more lethal or carry excess morbidity over any other cold or flu virus, for this age group," Grobler writes.

However, the other doctors and management at his clinic disagree with him. They say they believe COVID is serious and that officials are doing the right thing.

"We know that he has the best interest of his patients at heart, but not all colleagues at our clinic share his opinions on the progress, risk, or remedies of COVID-19," the owners and management of the clinic said in a statement given to CHVN.

"Here at Sherbrook Health Centre we respect the rules of protecting our patients and community from COVID-19 and we support the decisions and advice from our public health authorities."

dr grobler post

His post has six points with his opinion and two URLs that are "easy to understand." 

One of the links is for United Nations' 1992 Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, and the Statement of principles for the Sustainable Management of Forests.

The other is for a documentary called Thrive 2, which its creators' claim is "unpacking the strategies, the science, and the principles that underlie the most potent solutions in energy, health, consciousness, and non-coercive self-organizing."

"We, your primary care physicians had NO say in which actions should be taken," Grobler says in reference to Public Health's response to the pandemic.

Grobler claims everyone will eventually contract COVID-19 and they will not get it a second time.

During Wednesday's COVID-19 media update, Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Brent Roussin said he was unfamiliar with Grobler's statement when asked about it.

Roussin said Public Health would reach out to the doctor and that the statement will need to be addressed.

"I do not support the message," Roussin says. "This is not in keeping with the facts. We see that COVID has had many more severe outcomes than the flu." He says while the flu is dangerous in itself, COVID needs to be treated seriously.