As thousands of people are gathering in anti-racism protest in cities across the country, some health experts are concerned the packed demonstrations could lead to outbreaks of coronavirus.
Michigan has seen several of these protests in cities across the state, with more than 3,000 people marching in Grand Rapids last Saturday.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Chief Medical Executive Dr. Joneigh Khaldun said they are monitoring new COVID-19 cases to see if they are connected to any of the protests.
"At this point, it's still a little early to be able to see a trend at this point. I don't know of any cases that are associated with that, but we will continue to monitor it," she said during a Friday press briefing.
On Thursday, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist participated in a Detroit Unity March. She said Friday they weren't always able to social distance, but they still wore masks, used hand santizer throughout the day and avoided close personal contact, like hugs and handshakes.
Khladun said she stands in solidarity with those marching for racial justice, but she encouraged everyone to participate in these events safely. She suggested wearing a mask, marching with people you known, using a noisemaker instead of yelling.
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