That debate some were having about 'spikes' in Covid infections due to BLM protests

[bigtree]

...protesters took a lot of flack for this, including from my own governor grousing on television about more cases coming from protests, even after he allowed beaches to be filled with travelers to the Eastern shore without any visible safety measures, unlike BLM protesters who were mostly masked and distanced, outdoors where there's less chance of spreading the virus.

MSNBC @MSNBC
There is no evidence yet that the wave of Black Lives Matter protests across the U.S. has sparked COVID-19 outbreaks in the more than 3 weeks since they began, a new study says. https://t.co/mPX9QII4Ta?amp=1

Link to tweet

my earlier post (May 31):

How does anyone get to cite these nascent protests as cause for the virus re-spreading
https://www.democraticunderground.com/100213513953

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. A study was done in Minnesota. People who participated in demonstrations

were offered tests, and at least so far they haven't discovered a spike. This is probably because everybody was outside and many were wearing masks. https://www.wired.com/story/what-minnesotas-protests-are-revealing-about-covid-19-spread/

[bigtree]

2. good demonstration

...of the efficacy of masks.

[Hortensis]

3. Marvelous so far. It's what we hoped for

of course, with predominately younger crowds, many masked and distancing, but didn’t dare to hope too much.

[EllieBC]

4. That is awesome news!

Probably the only good news lately.

[Igel]

5. There were two thoughts at the time.

Don't simply more than possible.

The first was that they weren't practicing social distancing and mask wearing wasn't 100%. Therefore, we're all going to die!1!


The other was the news that the anti-lockdown protests had resulted in virtually no traceable cases of COVID. The voting in WI (?) had the same effect. Spring break in Florida may have carried some virus home, but it didn't lead to the surge that was predicted. Masks or not, outdoors means much reduced risk. So maybe the only real risk from the BLM protests were their size.



Note that his knocks in the head all the rampant paranoia over kids' playgrounds, Hasidic funerals, Lake of the Ozarks death pools, and preventing families from getting too close in public parks. All of which were also triggers for "we're all going to die!1!"


Meanwhile, it's hard to sort out the confounds that a lot of reopening occurred at the same time, that people dropped their guard when it comes to masks at the same time. If three things happen and one can't be held uniquely accountable it's likely that the same can be said about the other two things. It's the "uniquely" part that's a problem.

[central scrutinizer]

6. Good news for November

People unable to vote by mail should be relatively safe if they wear masks, practice distancing and the line is outside.