The Black Lives Matter movement led to worldwide protests after the death of George Floyd. The movement also reached Australia when thousands of people joined the protests. However, the protests during the pandemic pose a risk of the spread of coronavirus.
Recently, eight new coronavirus cases reported in Victoria. One of those cases was a person from the Black Lives Matter protest in Melbourne. He joined the protest on Saturday and recently tested coronavirus positive.
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Brett Sutton, the Chief Health Officer said that the person had no symptoms of the infection while he was at the protest. He also said that it is unlikely that he contracted the virus at the protest.
Professor Sutton said that the protestors must get themselves tested and isolate themselves if they show symptoms. The coronavirus positive individuals should wait until they get better before they join the protests again.
According to an estimate, 10,000 people joined the Black Lives Matter protest on Saturday in Melbourne. The anti-racism movement spread across the globe after protests started in the US.
The authorities of Victoria previously urged the public to avoid joining the protest. The coronavirus restrictions are still implemented in Victoria. A gathering of more than 20 people is not allowed due to the coronavirus outbreak.
The health experts advised the protestors at the Black Lives Matter movement to wear protective equipment to save themselves from contracting the virus. Most of the people at the demonstration wore disposable gloves and face masks. They also used hand sanitizers at various locations. Despite the sanitization practices, people gathered closely several times during the protest.
Professor Sutton also mentioned that the coronavirus patient in his 30s wore a mask to the protest. But a mask does not guarantee 100% prevention of the coronavirus.
The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) will trace the contacts of the infected person through regular procedures. The man went through a routine test after which he was identified for the coronavirus.
The man at the Black Lives Matter was highly unlikely to contract the virus at the protest. The authorities are investigating his source of transmission of coronavirus. The experts believe that he might have contracted the virus on his way to the protest.
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The US movement poses a high risk to exponentially increase the number of coronavirus cases. The protestors are usually densely packed together at the rally. The social distancing rules cannot be implemented during the rally which is a risk of transmission of the virus.
The protests during the coronavirus outbreak are a major concern for health experts. The coronavirus cases in the US are not stable yet and a surge in Covid-19 cases is expected after the Black Lives Matter protests. The movement spread to all the states of the US after a white police officer murdered a black man, George Floyd.
The police officer is now facing second-degree murder charges after the countrywide demonstrations. However, the people are still demanding to eradicate racism from government institutions at the protests.
