International- Aggressive policing tactics could accelerate the spread of the
coronavirus , Boston University epidemiologist Ellie Murray told Gothamist. - "The activities of the police seem to be one of the main sources of increased transmission risk at these protests," she said.
- Although New York's policies require police officers to wear masks, many are not.
- The use of tear gas could also increase infections, an infectious-disease expert told Insider.
The clashes between police officers and protesters in the wake of
But as thousands of people around the country rally against
"From the footage that I've seen, the activities of the police seem to be one of the main sources of increased transmission risk at these protests," Ellie Murray, an epidemiologist at Boston University, told Gothamist. "They are, as you say, sort of getting into people's faces, a large group of police surrounding individuals."
New York policy requires police officers to wear masks when they're interacting with the public to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. But many of them haven't.
Images of maskless police – including the highest-ranking uniformed officer – have circulated widely on social media.
In one video, taken in New York, protesters ask an officer if he'd like one of their extra masks.
"I'm okay," the officer responds.
—Gwynne Hogan (@GwynneFitz) May 30, 2020
Last week, First Deputy Commissioner Benjamin Tucker said officers were leaving the masks at home because "maybe it's hot, maybe they can't breathe."
"There may be cases where they take [them] off for a reason," he added.
A spokesperson for the NYPD echoed Tucker's comment. "Perhaps it was the heat. Perhaps it was the 15 hour tours, wearing bullet resistant vests in the sun. Perhaps it was the helmets," Sgt. Jessica McRorie told the Huffington Post. "With everything New York City has been through in the past two weeks and everything we are working towards together, we can put our energy to a better use."
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio have both expressed frustration about police officers not wearing masks.
To keep safe, Murray recommended protesters keep their masks on, frequently apply hand sanitizer, distance from others, and minimize the length of interactions, as well as use noisemakers instead of yelling.
"If you're at a more peaceful protest, wear a mask while maintaining physical distance," she told Gothamist. "Yelling can spread droplets further and so being more like maybe eight or 10 feet [away] is good."
Beyond maskless policing, the use of tear gas against protesters, which has been widespread, could accelerate the spread of COVID-19.
- Read more:
- Coronavirus, protests, and you: Here's what experts say about how the virus might spread as more people demonstrate
- Police departments' use of tear gas could exacerbate coronavirus outbreaks, experts say
- Scotland votes to end export of tear gas, rubber bullets, and riot gear to the United States
- A 22-year-old woman in Ohio died 2 days after being tear-gassed by police during a protest