Ben Sixsmith

America’s riots could be contagious

Black Lives Matter activists protest at Trafalgar Square (Photo: Getty)

It’s kind of amazing. For weeks we have been arguing about the minute details of viral transmission. Can you be outside? How often can you be outside? Can you be with other people? How many? And how much distance should you keep from each other? Then masses of people gather in cities across the world for a protest and the authorities do nothing. It just goes ahead.

The irony of protestors chanting ‘I can’t breathe’ as they raise the risk of catching and spreading a respiratory disease blows the mind. Granted, outdoor transmission is considerably rarer than indoor transmission – and, besides, most of these protesters are young and would be okay if infected with Covid-19. But after weeks of people having to miss surgeries, funerals, weddings and last moments with their loved ones, you would think people would have to have a good reason to organise an outright mass gathering.

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