CLAYTON, Mo. (AP) — An email in which a suburban St. Louis public health official urged staff to ignore the “lunatic fringe” as they work to combat the COVID-19 virus is sparking outrage from some elected officials. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that Dr. Faisal Khan, the acting St. Louis County health director, also used Tuesday’s email to encourage health workers to continue to take precautions ahead of an expected rise in cases following holiday gatherings. Khan’s email was shared with media by Councilman Tim Fitch, a Republican who has voted against mask requirements. By Wednesday, it was circulated online by critics of public health measures.