Current Events > NYC COVID Contact Tracers Don't Ask About Floyd Protest Participation

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https://www.thecity.nyc/coronavirus/2020/6/14/21290963/nyc-covid-19-trackers-skipping-floyd-protest-questions-even-amid-fears-of-new-wave

Over the two last weeks, Mayor Bill de Blasio and others have voiced concerns that packed police brutality protests across the city could trigger a new wave of COVID-19 infections. Whether or not thats the case, however, remains unknown and de Blasios team wont be directly trying to find out. The hundreds of contact tracing workers hired by the city under de Blasios new test and trace campaign have been instructed not to ask anyone whos tested positive for COVID-19 whether they recently attended a demonstration, City Hall confirmed to THE CITY. No person will be asked proactively if they attended a protest, Avery Cohen, a spokesperson for de Blasio, wrote in an emailed response to questions by THE CITY. Instead, test-and-trace workers ask COVID-positive individuals general questions to help them recall contacts and individuals they may have exposed, Cohen said. Among the initial questions: Do you live with anyone in your home? Tracers then ask about close contacts defined as being within six feet of another person for at least 10 minutes.

Yikes

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What's even the point then? Might as well just shurg and what happens, happens at this point if nobody on either side of things gives a fuck.

BlueTigerLion posted...

instructed not to ask anyone whos tested positive for COVID-19 whether they recently attended a demonstration, City Hall confirmed to THE CITY.

Blood on protesters hands.
Fact

What is even the point of contact tracers? Coronavirus was eliminated several weeks ago, it is now safe to gather in crowds of any size.

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Nobody is going to come forward and attempt to put any sort of estimate on how many deaths due to coronavirus the protests have caused. It's political suicide.

Expect to wait until the Trump rallies resume before people start talking about the impact at public gatherings have had on the numbers.

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Just open things up enough is enough

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s0nicfan posted...

Nobody is going to come forward and attempt to put any sort of estimate on how many deaths due to coronavirus the protests have caused. It's political suicide.

Expect to wait until the Trump rallies resume before people start talking about the impact at public gatherings have had on the numbers.

People are already talking about the impact the protests/riots will have on the numbers. They have been since the protests and riots started.

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CableZL posted...

People are already talking about the impact the protests/riots will have on the numbers. They have been since the protests and riots started.

Show me a news story. Show me an academic that's attempting to estimate how many people will die. Show me something more significant than a random Forum or Twitter post.

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This is as of four days ago, make of it what you will
https://nypost.com/2020/06/11/experts-unsure-if-george-floyd-protests-will-cause-covid-19-spike/
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Looney lefties are gonna get us all killed

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I stand corrected. Here's an article from the end of last week. I just have no idea of this news site is considered legit or not:
https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/06/09/coronavirus-whats-the-risk-for-george-floyd-protesters/

But that forecast toll fueled by an estimated 15,000 to 54,000 new infections spread during crowded chants, clashes and arrests is relatively small compared to the overall U.S. epidemic, representing about a 3% to 6% increase above the nations total new daily infections, reports Trevor Bedford, a computational biologist at Seattles Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Institute who studies the spread of viruses.

The Bedford analysis offers two different scenarios for crowd counts of 600,000 people, based on news sources and Wikipedia estimates of daily protests in more than 400 cities.

One estimate is low, assuming a fatality rate of 0.5% and a transmission rate of 0.9 one person with the disease infects, on average, 0.9 others. This scenario would lead to 1,500 new infections each day and 15,000 secondary infections among protestors friends and family, eventually causing 50 to 75 deaths. The higher estimate assumes a transmission rate of 0.95 and a fatality rate of 1%. This scenario would lead to 3,000 new infections a day and a total of 54,000 secondary infections, causing 500-540 deaths.

New COVID-19 cases (blue) acquired at protests or elsewhere can lead to successive rounds of infections (orange) in others. Because the epidemic is not yet controlled, experts expect a cascade of infections from one infection in the community. (Source: Trevor Bedford.)

If the virus is present in 0.5% of the general population, an estimated 3,000 protesters could have active infections and pose a risk to others. The U.S. has 1.5 million current infections, and 20,000 new cases are confirmed every day, on average.

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The Mercury News is the daily paper in San Jose, for the record.
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s0nicfan posted...

Nobody is going to come forward and attempt to put any sort of estimate on how many deaths due to coronavirus the protests have caused. It's political suicide.

Expect to wait until the Trump rallies resume before people start talking about the impact at public gatherings have had on the numbers.

Or maybe it's like the protestors are trying to take some measures to stop the spread while those attending rallies likely won't.

If Trump rallies have people wearing masks and whatnot, people shouldn't bitch about them tbh. One of the biggest problems with the "we want the economy open!" protests is that no one took any measures to stop the spread. No one was distant and virtually no one was wearing masks.

This level of nuance is literally missed by everyone who bitches about the protests and how they're going to spread COVID but "lol no one cares because black people!"
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sktgamer_13dude posted...

Or maybe it's like the protestors are trying to take some measures to stop the spread while those attending rallies likely won't.

The photos and videos show little, if any social distancing.
Chanting, yelling, etc. all ways to spread the virus.

It doesnt matter how many protective measures youre taking when cops launch tear gas at you (induces coughing which helps transmit the virus) or start getting aggressive and arrest you for peacefully protesting (close contact and if theres a struggle of any kind on either side it leads to increased breathing)

This post doesnt address the idea that not everyone is taking proper precautions either

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HiddenRoar posted...

The photos and videos show little, if any social distancing.
Chanting, yelling, etc. all ways to spread the virus.

They're wearing masks.

Which is waaaaaay more than what I'm expecting from Trump rallies. And waaaaay more than what was worn during the "open the economy!" protests.

Which is why I said, if you would care to read, "the protestors are trying to take some measures to stop the spread," not that they were perfect in stopping the spread. And why I said that if Trump rallies are wearing masks (which you'd think that Trump would capitalize on selling branded masks to his base), that people shouldn't bitch as much as they did for the "open the economy" protests. You know, a consistent opinion not this "we like this protest but not the other protest" that you're engaging in.
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jfc
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Given the nature of the protests, I can see where a question about attendance might discourage participation in this program being run by the government.

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Just because people are wearing masks doesn't mean they're gonna fair way better than those at Trump rallies.

Take the fucking blinders off for a second people. People are not social distancing at protests either. Masks are the only thing I see. No gloves or anything. Many people without masks. Hugging and just standing around breathing on each other all day. Cops doing the same shit and exacerbating it with tear gas.

The lockdowns prevented 500 million fucking infections. Anybody thinking being outside is smart with thousands of others is being ignorant.

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s0nicfan posted...

I stand corrected. Here's an article from the end of last week. I just have no idea of this news site is considered legit or not:
https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/06/09/coronavirus-whats-the-risk-for-george-floyd-protesters/

You shouldn't stand corrected. That's not one of the big ones or the talking heads you see on TV. A few people have mentioned it live on air, but not really. Most people aren't talking about it at all. The same politicians who were against anti lock down rallies were out in the streets protesting and people on TV are encouraging the protests. Here's NBC, for example:

https://twitter.com/Heminator/status/1272356179403059207

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Reinforces that tracing is bullshit.

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and?

BlueTigerLion posted...

Tracers then ask about close contacts defined as being within six feet of another person for at least 10 minutes

seems like "i went to a black lives matter rally and was near the people i attended with, their names are..." is an answer that would be given by anyone attempting to answer this honestly

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archedsoul posted...

Just because people are wearing masks doesn't mean they're gonna fair way better than those at Trump rallies.

Having some protection > having zero protection

Again, that's why I've held the same stance for gatherings for both sides. Yeah, people probably shouldn't be out protesting right now. Good luck telling them that; literal political suicide to tell people to stop protesting for minorities to be treated equally.

It'd be waaaaay easier to call out those protests if no one was trying anything; but people are trying to protect others. Yeah, it's not masks + gloves + distancing + people not yelling, but having one part of the equation is a lot better than having zero parts of the equation.

How people fail to see this nuance shouldn't really surprise me, considering the people I'm seeing disregard it just to bitch about the Floyd protests, but it is.
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sktgamer_13dude posted...

Having some protection > having zero protection

Again, that's why I've held the same stance for gatherings for both sides. Yeah, people probably shouldn't be out protesting right now. Good luck telling them that; literal political suicide to tell people to stop protesting for minorities to be treated equally.

It'd be waaaaay easier to call out those protests if no one was trying anything; but people are trying to protect others. Yeah, it's not masks + gloves + distancing + people not yelling, but having one part of the equation is a lot better than having zero parts of the equation.

How people fail to see this nuance shouldn't really surprise me, considering the people I'm seeing disregard it just to bitch about the Floyd protests, but it is.

Staying at home and closing everything is what prevented half a billion infections between 6 countries. Not masks. Even if masks help and that number was a fraction of that with masks, it's still dumb as fuck to even entertain an "at least they're kind of trying" attitude. It sends a false hope that you're better protected when you're still causing infections.

And the political suicide thing means the death is on those politicians. You're basically saying no one is gonna be 100% truthful, leading to thousands upon thousands of deaths.

That's dumb as fuck.

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archedsoul posted...

Staying at home and closing everything is what prevented half a billion infections between 6 countries. Not masks. Even if masks help and that number was a fraction of that with masks, it's still dumb as fuck to even entertain an "at least they're kind of trying" attitude. It sends a false hope that you're better protected when you're still causing infections.

And the political suicide thing means the death is on those politicians. You're basically saying no one is gonna be 100% truthful, leading to thousands upon thousands of deaths.

That's dumb as fuck.

I'm starting to guess you just disagree with the Floyd protestors instead of actually wanting to have a discussion, considering nothing that you posted has any meaning.

You're just crying to cry instead of actually seeing the nuances in the situations. It's called concern trolling.
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sktgamer_13dude posted...

Or maybe it's like the protestors are trying to take some measures to stop the spread while those attending rallies likely won't.

If Trump rallies have people wearing masks and whatnot, people shouldn't bitch about them tbh. One of the biggest problems with the "we want the economy open!" protests is that no one took any measures to stop the spread. No one was distant and virtually no one was wearing masks.

This level of nuance is literally missed by everyone who bitches about the protests and how they're going to spread COVID but "lol no one cares because black people!"

Honestly, your examples are proving Trump right and the doctors wrong. If the BLM rioters and protesters and the earlier I need a haircut protesters dont get sick from Covid in huge numbers, whether they were masked or not, then Trump was either super lucky or is playing 4D chess.

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PrideOfLion posted...

Protesting against systemic racism and police brutality seems more important than protesting about not getting a haircut

exactly plus theres no evidence that going to protest police brutality caused any significant increase in corona.

Lmao

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sktgamer_13dude posted...

I'm starting to guess you just disagree with the Floyd protestors instead of actually wanting to have a discussion, considering nothing that you posted has any meaning.

You're just crying to cry instead of actually seeing the nuances in the situations. It's called concern trolling.

Lol, what? Seems like it's you who doesn't want to have a discussion based in reality. I'm black and from nyc. I 100% believe in the protests.

I don't believe it should come at the cost of false information and deaths when we're already starting to spike hard.

You haven't countered a single thing except make a bunch of assumptions and then just lump me in. You realize that both sides can have this opinion because it's based off science, right? Not feelings.

You can't climb Everest by being partially prepared and protected when even with full preparation, tons die. 120k people in the US died while under lockdowns.

This is a highly contagious virus that's still very much completely out of control. Following just one of several guidelines is not gonna slow it down when all of them it's still a big problem. Politicians lying about it because they're afraid of losing their jobs is beyond pathetic and you to trying handwave that makes you culpable to those deaths too.

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archedsoul posted...

You can't climb Everest by being partially prepared and protected when even with full preparation, tons die. 120k people in the US died while under lockdowns.

Sorry, didn't know because you can't climb Everest without all your protection that you also can't help lower COVID spreading by wearing some of the recommended PPE.

Forgot how those examples are anywhere remotely the same in any way, shape, or form.

Nothing you have said has proven anything of what I said wrong. I never said "because protestors for Floyd are wearing masks, they're not spreading COVID"; I said they're doing more than what the other protestors did and likely more than what Trump's rallies will do. You going "YEAH WELL THAT WON'T STOP COVID SO YOU'RE WRONG!" isn't a point; it's you being upset (for some reason) at the protestors. Sorry that I went with the most likely reason you were upset; again considering the only "hand-waving" being done is by people bitching about the Floyd protestors and not about the other protestors or the rallies.
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sktgamer_13dude posted...

Sorry, didn't know because you can't climb Everest without all your protection that you also can't help lower COVID spreading by wearing some of the recommended PPE.

Forgot how those examples are anywhere remotely the same in any way, shape, or form.

Nothing you have said has proven anything of what I said wrong. I never said "because protestors for Floyd are wearing masks, they're not spreading COVID"; I said they're doing more than what the other protestors did and likely more than what Trump's rallies will do. You going "YEAH WELL THAT WON'T STOP COVID SO YOU'RE WRONG!" isn't a point; it's you being upset (for some reason) at the protestors. Sorry that I went with the most likely reason you were upset; again considering the only "hand-waving" being done is by people bitching about the Floyd protestors and not about the other protestors or the rallies.

Ahh, so you're not willing to have a discussion based in reality and are gonna continue accusing me of shit and start melting.

It's like you're just not getting it. The virus is so out of control that masks are not going to do jackshit.

500 million infections prevented by being locked down.

Now, if you don't want to continue making a fool out of yourself, can you provide some statistics to counter how much masks end up helping and how many infections it would have prevented if that was the only thing?

And yeah, I'm allowed to be upset at all protesters, including Trump ones. They're negatively affecting my life, especially the ones in NYC. It doesn't mean I don't believe in the Floyd ones.

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sktgamer_13dude posted...

it's you being upset (for some reason) at the protestors.

"for some reason"
You mean 100,000+ Americans dying, lockdowns for 2-3 months, and businesses going under.

But sure, be disingenuous, I guess we call that "Concerned trolling"

Still gonna need that proof of me saying "masks are the end-all-be-all for COVID. if you're wearing a mask, COVID can't get you and you can't spread it in any way, shape, or form." or something similar. I'm sure because you're basically arguing that I did say that, that you have tons and tons of evidence proving that point.

Or are you only going to find me saying like "something is better than nothing that one side was doing and will likely continue to do."

HiddenRoar posted...

But sure, be disingenuous

Now this is INCREDIBLY ironic coming from you.
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nice

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Bleuets posted...

exactly plus theres no evidence that going to protest police brutality caused any significant increase in corona.

viruses have an agenda tbh

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Interesting. I wonder if this just more beef between Blasio and Cuomo. Cuomo wants this information and also ended today's briefing by saying something along the lines of "if the mayor of NYC is capable"

Then talked about shutting down Manhattan again, which Blasio got pissed over.

HiddenRoar posted...

"for some reason"
You mean 100,000+ Americans dying, lockdowns for 2-3 months, and businesses going under.

But sure, be disingenuous, I guess we call that "Concerned trolling"

I don't like really agreeing with you, but yeah. Sktgamer is probably some white dude that lives far from the protests and will never be directly affected. Which is why him and others like him are so careless about it.

Forget the hell we just got through and have not even begin to recover from.

"But some got masks!!!!"

It's like once the right starts saying something, anybody that ever repeats it, even if true, is now also on the right.

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InfinityMonster posted...

I don't like really agreeing with you, but yeah. Sktgamer is probably some white dude that lives far from the protests and will never be directly affected. Which is why him and others like him are so careless about it.

Saying that the Floyd protestors did more than open the economy protestors to protect themselves is being careless?

Thats some wild jump in conclusions. Id love to see how you got to that conclusion, and please, Id love for you to show your work.
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sktgamer_13dude posted...

Saying that the Floyd protestors did more than open the economy protestors to protect themselves is being careless?

Thats some wild jump in conclusions. Id love to see how you got to that conclusion, and please, Id love for you to show your work.

Before we go further. Are you white?

Where are you from?

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sktgamer_13dude posted...

Still gonna need that proof of me saying "masks are the end-all-be-all for COVID. if you're wearing a mask, COVID can't get you and you can't spread it in any way, shape, or form." or something similar. I'm sure because you're basically arguing that I did say that, that you have tons and tons of evidence proving that point.

Or are you only going to find me saying like "something is better than nothing that one side was doing and will likely continue to do."

Now this is INCREDIBLY ironic coming from you.

Man, you're really embarrassing yourself. Where did I even say any of that?

My point was always that this thing is so much of a disaster, unless you're staying home, you're putting countless lives at risk. Period. Masks have barely be proven to do anything but stop YOU from spreading the virus, and we see in every protest, TONS of people without them, which makes it very ineffective especially because of super spreaders. One super spreader fucked up New Rochelle.

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PrideOfLion posted...

Protesting against systemic racism and police brutality seems more important than protesting about not getting a haircut

The virus doesnt care about your cause.

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