HEALTH

Coronavirus could be lurking in protest crowds. Now doctors prep for new wave of cases

Kristen Jordan Shamus
Detroit Free Press

Night after night, protesters have stood side-by-side on the streets of Detroit, rising up against the killing of George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man who died May 25 when a white Minneapolis police officer pinned him to the ground with a knee pressed on his neck.  

Protests and civil unrest has swept the state and the nation in response, with demonstrations erupting in cities from New York to Los Angeles, Grand Rapids to Lansing, Minneapolis to St. Louis and outside the White House.

But protesting in 2020 comes with even more risk than the potential for tear gas or pepper spray exposure, being hit a rubber bullet or shoved in the melee. It also comes with the risk of contracting COVID-19. 

Protesters walk linked backed towards downtown Detroit on Monday, June 1, 2020 for the fourth day of protesting in the city.

"That's definitely a real concern," said Dr. Justin Skrzynski, an internal medicine physician at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak. "This virus is still pretty widespread. With gatherings of that many people, it's likely that somebody in those crowds did have the virus."

While some protesters wore masks, not all have donned protective face wear. And when pepper spray or tear gas is dispersed into crowds, many rip off their masks, coughing, choking, gagging — and potentially spewing droplets that contain novel coronavirus. 

"There's not enough research to show that would increase risk, but common sense would tell you that if there's virus in saliva, it's also in tears. And the more virus that's out there in the air, the more likely that somebody will get sick," said Dr. Bobby Mukkamala, a Flint-based ear, nose and throat specialist who also is president of the Michigan State Medical Society. 

Dr. Bobby Mukkamala, a Flint-based ear, nose and throat specialist who also is president of the Michigan State Medical Society.

Mukkamala said he considered all that when he and his son protested Floyd's death Saturday in Flint Township. 

"We had our masks on and we made sure that we were the appropriate distance from everybody and didn't march along with the group," said Mukkamala. "You can express your opinion, but do it in a way that doesn't put you and others at risk."

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Most people Mukkamala saw in Flint wore masks, but he said he saw a lot of people fail to follow social distancing guidelines of at least 6 feet to curtail the spread of the virus.

"What I saw was people marching shoulder-to-shoulder, screaming and ... chanting in a very heated way, where there's a lot of air exchange between people. That puts those attendees at risk ... despite their best intentions.

People raise their fists while listening to a a person speak after marching along Miller Rd. in Flint Township on Saturday, May 30, 2020. Protestors marched to Flint Township Police Department Headquarters where they were met by officers in riot gear before getting the Genesee County Sheriff to agree to march with them.

"I don't want to minimize the response that these people have in the need to protest — I mean, I went out to express my opinion on this issue — but there's a responsible way to do that. And I think that's just what we need to try to reinforce."

Rob Casalou, CEO of Trinity Health Michigan, which includes the St. Joseph Mercy Health System, said hospitals are ready if the protests lead to a second surge in coronavirus cases.  

The number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients statewide is now at its lowest point since the crisis began in March, he said. And health systems have been working to replenish their supplies of personal protective equipment such as masks, gloves, gowns and face shields in case there's a second wave. 

"All the health systems have a lot of capacity now available in order to absorb any kind of spike that might occur," Casalou said. "We hope it doesn't happen but we're prepared this time around differently than where we were two months ago."

As he and other health leaders have watched the protests unfold, Casalou said they've been concerned about the potential for coronavirus to spread among those crowded together, chanting and waving signs. 

Protesters in downtown march towards downtown for a second night of protests in Detroit.

"All of us were thinking about that as we were watching the protests," Casalou said.

"Our values don't line up with what happened (to George Floyd) and we want to support the individuals who are out there, you know, trying to make change. At the same time, we worry about the protesters' health."

The pandemic has disproportionately affected Michigan's African American community — with more than 31% of cases and 40% of deaths among black people in a state that is about 14% black. Detroit, a majority black city, has the most cases in Michigan. 

The potential for further COVID-19 spread from the protests could compound tragedy in already devastated communities of color. 

Rob Casalou, CEO of Trinity Health Michigan, which includes the St. Joseph Mercy Health System.

"This virus has hit urban areas in particular, very hard, there's a lot of racial disparity with this virus and underlying health issues and so, you know, as you're watching most of the protests occur in urban areas, in cities, the virus has already taken a toll on those same populations," Casalou said.

At Beaumont, Skrzynski said the plan is to prepare for the worst but hope for the best. 

"Honestly, we've been waiting for another surge pretty much since the first one ended," Skrzynski said. "There's just so many unknowns right now in terms of how this virus will behave. ... We're all kind of bracing for what's going to happen next. Obviously, our hope is that it will be nothing, and it is very possible that we will not see another surge, but it's unclear. ... It's still a very unpredictable disease.

Dr. Justin Skrzynski, an internal medicine physician at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak.

Mukkamala said those who do protest should take precautions to prevent the spread of the virus by wearing a mask and keeping a safe distance from others. 

Those who have been out protesting without a mask and closer than 6 feet from others should consider themselves exposed to coronavirus, he said. 

"They absolutely should go home and assume that they are positive and make sure that they wait the appropriate amount of time before re-engaging with anyone, especially the elderly," Mukkamala said. 

That means quarantining 14 days. 

Demonstrators march through downtown Detroit in protest of police brutality and the death of George Floyd on Sunday, May 31, 2020.

"We have a lot of people that need to get back to work, that need to express their opinion on issues like George Floyd's untimely death," he said. "But we all just need to remember in every activity that we engage in for the next several months that we are still in the midst of a public health pandemic.

" ... The onus is on us to remember that it's still out there and do these things responsibly. I just don't want people to forget. I don't want them to forget what happened to George Floyd and I certainly don't want them to forget what's going on with this virus."

Contact Kristen Jordan Shamus: 313-222-5997 or kshamus@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @kristenshamus. 

Demonstrators march through downtown Detroit in protest of police brutality and the death of George Floyd on Sunday, May 31, 2020.