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Catastrophic COVID-19 Spike Might Result From Protests; George Floyd’s Brother Says Trump Wouldn’t Let Him Speak; and Michelle Obama Urges Everyone to Root Out Racism.
Careful social distancing has been overturned within just a few days. Thousands of Americans hit the streets across the country to protest the death of George Floyd. Infectious disease experts warn that these large gatherings could cause a catastrophic spike in coronavirus cases.
“It makes me cringe on a number of levels,” says Dr. Katie Passaretti, who works as a medical director for infection prevention at Atrium Health in Charlotte, NC.
“It’s a setup for further spread of COVID,” added Passaretti. “It’s heartbreaking.”
The Atlanta mayor also offered words of warning during a news briefing on Sunday.
“If you were out protesting last night, you probably need to go get a COVID test this week,” said Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms. “Because there’s still a pandemic in America that’s killing black and brown people at higher numbers.”
Some people protesting may be in need of a serious injury attorney after what happened over the weekend.
Related: George Floyd Protest Turns Violent and Deadly
George Floyd’s family was given the opportunity to speak to President Trump this week following their loss. However, it didn’t seem to go well.
George’s brother, Philonise Floyd, told MSNBC’s Al Sharpton that his conversation with Trump was “so fast.”
“He didn’t give me an opportunity to even speak. It was hard. I was trying to talk to him, but he just kept, like, pushing me off. Like ‘I don’t want to hear what you’re talking about,” said Floyd.
“And I just told him, I want justice. I said that I couldn’t believe that they committed a modern-day lynching in broad daylight,” he said.
Trump revealed on Friday that he’d spoken to Floyd’s family, but he didn’t offer details. Instead, he said, “I want to express our nation’s deepest condolences and most heartfelt sympathies to the family of George Floyd. I spoke to the members of the family—terrific people.”
Floyd’s brother said he also spoke to former Vice President Joe Biden.
“I asked Vice President Biden… never had to beg a man before—but I asked him, could he please, please get justice for my brother,” said Floyd.
“I need it, I do not want to see him on a shirt just like the other guys. Nobody deserved that. Black folk don’t deserve that. We’re all dying. Black lives matter,” he said.
Related: FBI Investigates the Death of George Floyd
Obama expressed grief in an Instagram post about the recent killing of George Floyd. She urged the need for how non-black folks should help root out racism.
“Like so many of you, I’m pained by these recent tragedies,” she wrote. “And I’m exhausted by a heartbreak that never seems to stop. It just goes on and on and on. Race and racism is a reality that so many of us grow up learning to just deal with.”
“But, if we ever hope to move past it, it can’t just be on people of color to deal with it,” wrote Obama. “It’s up to all of us—Black, white, everyone—no matter how well-meaning we think we might be, to do the honest, uncomfortable work of rooting it out.”
She continued, “It starts with self-examination and listening to those whose lives are different from our own. It ends with justice, compassion, and empathy that manifests in our lives and on our streets.”
Related: Derek Chauvin Arrested for George Floyd’s Death
