Houston-area GOP leader dies in hospital days after testing positive for COVID-19

A local Republican official whose social media posts derided vaccines and masks was hospitalized this week with COVID-19 and died Wednesday, leaving behind a wife and infant son. He was 45. The Galveston County Republican Party confirmed in a statement the death of H Scott Apley, a precinct chair for the organization and member of the Dickinson city council and State Republican Executive Committee. "I wish to express our deep sense of loss following the passing of our friend and colleague," said Patrick McGinnis, chairman for the Galveston County organization. "This indeed, is a tragedy; it is magnified by his youth, his young family especially his very young son." NEWS IN YOUR INBOX: Sign up for breaking news email alerts from HoustonChronicle.com here Apley was admitted Sunday to UTMB Galveston for pneumonia-like symptoms, according to a GoFundMe page created to assist with medical bills that has since garnered nearly $30,000. He tested positive for COVID-19 and was ventilated for three days before his death. Apley's wife also tested positive but was not hospitalized, the page said. Neither the fundraiser's organizer nor GOP officials immediately responded to inquiries from a reporter. It was unclear whether Apley was vaccinated. "I'm led to believe he was not," said Dickinson Mayor Sean Skipworth. "I don't know that for a fact." VACCINE TRACKER: Interactive map shows where you can get vaccinated in Houston Two days prior to his hospitalization, Apley shared to Facebook a post expressing skepticism about COVID-19 vaccines. In April, he responded to a doctor's tweet about the Pfizer vaccine's efficacy with this statement: "You are an absolute enemy to a free people." In May, he shared a post about a mask burning event with the comment: "I wish I lived in the area!" Health officials are urging people to get vaccinated against COVID-19 as the Delta variant drives another pandemic surge. Vaccines, free and widely available, are effective at preventing death and severe illness, according to doctors and health experts. Skipworth said the death of the new father and active community member was tragic for many reasons, including the rapid nature of his decline. The two local leaders did not always agree but had a good working relationship, Skipworth said. A special election will be set for Apley's successor on city council. The mayor said he thinks the death was preventable and hopes the situation compels residents to get vaccinated. "I don't know that the needle's really going to move for any one thing," he said. "I hope it'll at least be a slow process as we see more stories like this, that people will take things to heart and make that decision to get vaccinated." The death has sparked vitriol and insensitive comments on social media from people criticizing Apley's apparent choice to decline the vaccine. The phone in Dickinson City Hall was ringing Thursday morning, Skipworth said, with calls from people telling the mayor to "go to hell" after he expressed condolences for the councilmember's death. "This isn't the moment to have a victory lap and say, 'I told you so,'" Skipworth said, calling for kindness but urging action. "Please - get vaccinated if it's something you're able to do." - 'Would you get pregnant in a pandemic?' An essay from our (pregnant) COVID editor - Katy football fans know COVID isn't over, but there's no way they're skipping the games - As delta wave fades, Texas Children's battles fatigue - and a troubling chain of infections

Houston-area GOP leader dies in hospital days after testing positive for COVID-19

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