Protests in cities throughout the nation are becoming COVID superspreader events. SC protesters urged to ‘get tested immediately’ for COVID-19 after organizers get sick https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/state/south-carolina/article243694592.html The organizer behind several protests at South Carolina’s State House is urging people who have participated to get tested for COVID-19. Several protesters at the marches in downtown Columbia — in addition to similar events in Charleston and Greenville — have tested positive for the coronavirus, according to organizer Lawrence Nathaniel. “We are asking you please go get tested immediately,” Nathaniel said Sunday on Facebook. Anyone who was at any of the events between May 30 and June 17 should get a COVID-19 test, Nathaniel said. Four organizers of the I Can’t Breathe SC protests confirmed they tested positive, along with at least six protesters, and three photographers, Nathaniel said in a video. “We need to do our part,” Nathaniel said. “Go get tested. Don’t come to a protest until you get tested.” Nathaniel said he has been tested and is in the 48-hour waiting period to learn the results. The confirmed cases of the coronavirus forced Nathaniel’s organization to postpone plans for several upcoming protests. That included Sunday’s art project on Main Street called Chalk the Streets. Nathaniel said 12 of the artists scheduled to work on specific portions of the project backed out Sunday morning, including two who contacted him at 2 a.m. to inform him they tested positive for COVID-19. Plans for the art project are being put on hold for at least two weeks, or “until coronavirus cases drop,” Nathaniel said on Facebook. In response to a comment that the coronavirus pandemic is showing no signs of slowing down, Nathaniel said canceling Sunday’s plans was a sacrifice for the greater good, and he’s holding off on all large-scale events. “It’s time that we must step up our game. What are we doing to step up our game? We’re canceling all our protests,” Nathaniel said. That includes an event that was scheduled for next Saturday, dubbed the “Take Down the Statue” protest. While Nathaniel said a spike in COVID-19 cases was expected, these steps are being taken because recent data has shown younger people are testing positive at a higher rate than ever in South Carolina. He also said Black people are testing positive at rates that are disproportionately high compared to their share of the state’s population. Data from the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control shows Black people make up 36% of the confirmed coronavirus cases in South Carolina. At the same time, 46% of the people who have died from the virus are Black, DHEC’s data shows. About 27% of the state’s overall population is Black, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. More activism will be moved to virtual settings online, according to Nathaniel. He also encouraged followers to watch the I Can’t Breathe page for updates on sites where free testing will be made available. He also told people to wear masks, use hand sanitizer, and wash their hands in an effort to reduce the spread of the coronavirus. “Together we can win this. We can win this battle against COVID-19 and against racism,” Nathaniel said. “Stay safe out there.” On Sunday, 907new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in South Carolina by DHEC, bringing the overall total to 24,661 people who have tested positive for the coronavirus. Of the new COVID-19 cases, DHEC said 33 were reported in Richland County, where 2,662 positive tests have been confirmed since March— second most in the state behind Greenville County’s 3,669 positive tests. Overall, 653 coronavirus-related deathshave been reported in South Carolina, with a state-high 79 in Richland County, according to health officials. As of Sunday afternoon, 8,827,934 people worldwide have been diagnosed with coronavirus and 464,973 people have died, and 4,385,705 have recovered, according to Johns Hopkins University. The United States leads the world with 2,260,972 people who have been diagnosed with the novel virus. In the U.S., 119,762 deaths have been reported, including 31,083 in New York City.
South Carolina protest canceled after demonstrators come down with coronavirus https://www.foxnews.com/us/activist...lina-after-some-demonstrators-become-infected A protest organizer in South Carolina said he will postpone future demonstrations after at least 13 people who took part in recent rallies tested positive for the coronavirus. With cases climbing in the U.S. following the states' reversals of shutdown policies, an increase in testing, as well as protests across the country -- Lawrence Dishawn Nathaniel urged those who attended previous rallies to get tested. Nathaniel has helped lead protests across the state over the past month through an initiative called I Can't Breathe SC, following the death of George Floyd in police custody. He also founded a nonprofit community organization, People Demand Action. He said those infected attended protests from May 30 to June 17 in Columbia, Charleston, and Greenville. Four organizers, three photographers, and six protesters tested positive. "We're canceling all protests," he said. "We must do our part, so if you're gonna go out, make sure you have your mask, make sure you have your hand sanitizer." Nathaniel said they will conduct advocacy efforts online and virtual. He asked community leaders to do the same. Experts have debated whether protests can add to the spread of the virus, with a study published in the National Bureau of Economic Research finding they had little effect on the recent spike in cases -- even though many were seen gathering in close proximity, with some yelling and shouting. The study did add that it was possible the protests caused an increase in the spread of COVID-19 among those who attended. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top disease expert, said protests and reopening the economy too soon could be the perfect recipe for a surge in cases. Vice President Mike Pence said Monday that younger people, seen as the majority of those who attended recent protests across the country are increasingly testing positive for COVID-19. The virus also impacts the African American community at a disproportionate rate. "We are seeing more people test positive under the age of 35, particularly in our discussions with the leadership in Florida and in Texas," Pence said on a conference call with state governors Monday, which ABC News reported. The younger population has the potential to spread the virus to the elderly or those with preexisting conditions, seen as those more vulnerable to the virus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “The recent growth appears to be primarily due to increased cases in younger age groups, especially those aged 21-40,” said experts at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, in an analysis released Monday, according to The Washington Post. “In June, 50 percent of hospitalized COVID-19 patients and 30 percent of ICU patients have been under 50 years old.” The Department of Health and Environmental Control in South Carolina has reported record increases in daily cases within the past week. The state has seen more than 25,666 confirmed coronavirus cases and at least 659 deaths from the virus as of early Tuesday, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
Anti-police demonstrations may have sparked new coronavirus cases, some cities now acknowledge https://www.foxnews.com/politics/cities-protests-coronavirus-cases-black-lives-matter Several big-city mayors and top officials are acknowledging that weeks of anti-police protests and riots may have contributed to surging coronavirus rates, weeks after Democrats and even some epidemiologists openly encouraged Black Lives Matter allies to demonstrate in the streets. In public statements and interviews with Fox News this weekend, officials in Los Angeles, Seattle and Miami-Dade County, Fla., have indicated that some link between protests and new cases was at least possible. Still, many officials declined to comment when contacted by Fox News this weekend, and others – including New York Mayor Bill de Blasio's office – disputed that the protests had caused any issue. (More at above url)
Miami-Dade mayor says BLM protests 'absolutely' had 'a lot to do with' the recent coronavirus spike https://www.theblaze.com/news/miami-mayor-blm-protests-coronavirus