Infectious disease experts are warning authorities that deploying tear gas against people protesting across the country could help spread COVID-19.
More than 1,000 doctors, health experts, and others recently signed on an open letter that expresses support for protesters taking to the streets after George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, died in police custody in Minneapolis last week. Also in that letter is a call for police to end the use of tear gas and respiratory irritants against protesters because they increase the risk of spreading the coronavirus.
Krutika Kuppalli, an infectious diseases physician and vice chair of the Infectious Diseases Society of America’s Global Health Committee, told the Washington Examiner on Thursday that tear gas had the ability to increase the spread of the virus by causing coughing, eye irritation, and sneezing.
“When people cough or sneeze, it can cause spread of COVID-19 from those who have infection via droplets. When people develop eye irritation from tear gas, they may use their dirty hands to rub their eyes, which can also facilitate infection with the virus,” she explained.
Kuppalli said that protesting in general also carries risks, including being in close contact with others. She recommended that demonstrators try to maintain some physical distance at the protests and wear face coverings.
“They should wear a mask or face covering that protects their mouth and nose to prevent transmission or acquisition of the virus as well as goggles or some sort of eye protection,” she said. “They should also try to maintain their physical distance while remaining engaged in the protests.”
She also suggested that protesters emphasize the message on signs and with noisemakers rather than simply shouting out slogans, which could help spread the COVID-19 virus.
“In the event they are exposed to tear gas, I would carry hand sanitizer so they can clean their hands and saline drops as it will help to relieve the sting from the chemical in their eyes,” Kuppalli said.
Peter Chin-Hong, a professor of medicine and an infectious diseases specialist at the University of California, San Francisco, had a similar message when he spoke with the Los Angeles Times. Chin-Hong was among those who signed the open letter and said that because protesters might not know they have COVID-19, because of mild or nonexistent symptoms in some people, it could increase the spread of the virus. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says some 20% to 50% of those who contract the virus are asymptomatic.
“It’s easier to spread because people don’t know they’re sick,” he said.
Kuppalli also urged law enforcement to heed the fact that the country is still in the midst of a pandemic as they interact with protesters.
“I would strongly urge police to be mindful of doing what they can to help prevent the further spread of COVID-19 and escalation of nonviolent protests,” she said. “I would urge them to not arrest nonviolent protesters; not use tear gas or other chemical irritants, which can facilitate the spread of COVID-19; and not jam individuals into small space when protesting.”
The Washington Examiner reached out to the National Institutes of Health for this article.
Protests began last week when a video emerged showing Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on Floyd’s neck nearly nine minutes while he pleaded for his life. Chauvin is being held on second-degree murder and third-degree manslaughter charges. The other three officers involved in Floyd’s detainment are also facing charges.
The mass demonstrations come as the United States attempts to reopen during the pandemic. As of Thursday afternoon, roughly 1.8 million people in the U.S. have tested positive for the coronavirus, and more than 107,000 have died, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.
