Public health officials warn protesters to take extra coronavirus precautions

Fifth night of protests in Portland

Thousands of protesters kneel after marching to downtown Portland on June 1, 2020, the fifth night of protests against the death of George Floyd, a black man killed by police in Minneapolis. People in the crowd began shouting, "Take a knee, everyone take a knee."Dave Killen/The Oregonian

Protesters taking part in mass events in Portland are putting themselves at increased risk for infection by coronavirus, public health authorities warned Monday.

Rachel Banks, Multnomah County public health director, said protesters should increase COVID-19 precautions, such as frequently washing hands, carrying hand sanitizer, always wearing a mask and staying six feet from other people as much as possible.

Protests in Portland and around the state have seen massive gatherings during which protestors are standing nearly shoulder to shoulder. Monday evening events in downtown Portland were the most dramatic examples to date. Public Health Officer Jennifer Vines said that is exactly the kind of activity that officials limited when coronavirus safety measures started in March.

However, county officials did not try to dissuade people from taking to the streets.

“We’re in a moment where locally and nationally that people feel the only choice they have to be heard is to take to the streets and scream out, ‘I can’t breathe,’” Banks said.

She drew a parallel to the disproportionate impacts the coronavirus has had on communities of color. Black people are dying of COVID-19 at rates three to four that of other races, according to early studies.

In Oregon, 30% of all positive cases are among Latinx people.

Health officials warned protest-goers to limit their interactions with others after protests, monitor for any symptoms of COVID-19 and wipe down surfaces in their home when they return from mass gatherings.

Health officials have warned that behaviors that affect your lungs like smoking can increase your chances of contracting COVID-19 and experiencing more severe symptoms. Research hasn’t been done on whether tear gas has the same effect, but Vines said that it is likely not helpful.

Tear gas also causes coughing, one of the primary ways to spread infected droplets into the air.

“I’m definitely concerned about anybody coughing in close proximity to others as a way of getting the virus from one person to another,” Vines said.

-- Molly Harbarger

mharbarger@oregonian.com | 503-294-5923 | @MollyHarbarger

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