What Public Health Experts Mean When We Say It’s Okay to Protest
A message from the president of Morehouse School of Medicine
“I can’t breathe…”
Three simple words shattered the hearts of millions and opened the sore wounds of millions of others. For many Americans, watching George Floyd take his last breath while in the custody of police officers was devastating and inexplicable. So much so that they took to the streets to protest and demand justice, relegating the coronavirus to the backdrop of our current reality.
But Covid-19 is not in the backdrop; rather, it is still very much plaguing our communities and cities — with minority populations experiencing the brunt of the pandemic. The very same community that is now crying out for an end to police brutality and an inequitable justice system. For public health experts, the question isn’t whether people should protest, but how.
I understand that many Americans who have and who continue to shelter in place and social distance are confounded when we now say, “It’s okay to protest.” The protests are in direct conflict with the guideline to avoid large gatherings, and, although outside, it is impossible to properly social distance. After weeks and months of isolation, why is it now okay to gather and risk further spread of the disease?
