For 10 weeks, we’ve been told that groups of 10 are inherently dangerous and cannot be allowed because they will cause the coronavirus to spread. We know that the coronavirus is much more prevalent in cities, and apparently, it is much more concentrated within black communities.
These facts and opinions about the virus were behind possibly the most comprehensive lockdowns on the public’s daily behaviors ever.
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Then, the protests and demonstrations started. In cities across the country, mostly black crowds have assembled for packed, lengthy protests, complete with the sort of chanting and yelling that experts also fear spread the virus.
Some Democratic politicians who crack down on commerce and religious worship are pretty clear that they don’t think coronavirus rules matter anymore if the cause is righteous.
Religious people and shop owners have good reason to be upset. Conservative protesters who were lambasted and mocked by state officials and the media have even more reason to lament the double standard.
Robert George is correct. The mass protests should usher in a complete reopening. “The rules do not apply for mass protest. It’s time to end them for everyone else who have been scrupulously altering their behavior for three months.”
I hope most governors and mayors will follow that advice and end the lockdowns right away. Open the pools and the summer camps, and distribute guidance on how to minimize risk.
But that’s not likely given how much politicians love to control people’s lives. So here’s a way to look at these protests: They are a live experiment in outdoor transmission.
We know that medical settings and lengthy indoor exposure are how the virus spreads the most. We have no evidence that passing through outdoor settings spreads the virus. A big question mark is whether prolonged outdoor settings spread the virus significantly. Well, we’ll soon found out!
So here’s a proposal for politicians who are not ready to give up control over our lives: Please check back in two weeks. If these protests do not prove to have spread the virus significantly, you liberate all outdoor activities (perhaps with mask requirements) immediately. All outdoor July 4 activities should be back on. Summer league baseball should be back on. Pools should be open.
If this virus spreads in outdoor settings, the protests will prove to be superspreader events. If they don’t, then the lockdowns on outdoor activity are pointless shackles on people’s freedom.
