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How America is losing to the Pandemic, especially in the wake of protests
- Shriya Venkataraman
- Jun 19, 2020
- 5 min read
It’s been more than three months and countless hours of sitting idle in your home, yearning for it to be over. The virus has taken a huge toll on our personal lives, but quarantining is something we all need to do especially because the virus spreads, and that too, fast.
However, what really led us to venture out to the streets was the brutal death of George Floyd, a black man who was unfairly killed by police officer Derek Chauvin. Protesters demanded justice for victims of racism by marching, singing, and chanting throughout the streets. The protests spread like wildfire, and not only occurred in Minneapolis (the scene of Floyd’s death) but also in almost every state in the U.S. The police found it hard to contain the protesters, and began to use violent methods in an attempt to restrict them. They arrested many, blasted the protesters with sponge-tipped projectiles. These bullets could shatter backbones, fracture skulls, and even pierce an eye. Police brutality in this situation is said to be the catalyst for sparking protests all over the world.
An African American woman leads the crowd with a megaphone as they chant various slogans.
The connection between the virus and the protests
In a time where the coronavirus continues to thrive, it is obvious that these groups of people gathering together in these protests would cause a surge in numbers. However, neither did the government remain vocal about risks around large congregational protests, and neither did they demonstrate solidarity with their cause which could ultimately appease the protesters. Due to this, the virus has surged to its peak so far, much larger than numbers back in April.
Many protesters went out wearing masks, which are not sufficient enough to prevent the virus.
It's affecting black people the most
And here’s why black people, more than ever, are in need of support by the government during this testing time. The problem is systemic racism. Black people, in general, are more likely to contract the virus. Effects of slavery still reeks through the nation’s gaps, which hit some African Americans with a jolt. Economic disparity is one of the biggest reasons as to why system racism thrives today. Black neighborhoods are extremely concentrated, allowing the virus to spread much faster. Generally, black people don’t have access to proper healthcare as they live in downtown areas unlike their white counterparts that live in rich and posh neighborhoods. Not only blacks, but also Latinos and other minorities are facing the same problem.
This is the issue. The people that are in need of justice are facing additional detrimental problems because some of their white counterparts insist on treating them unfairly. Floyd himself contracted the virus in April, but was able to recover. It’s sad he eventually died the next month due to racist police brutality.
The police are aggravating the virus too
In many photos of the protests, the protesters are wearing masks. But they are close in proximity, and a mask is no guarantee that the virus won’t spread. Another way the virus could have spread was during the die-ins, where the protesters laid on the ground for nine minutes, signifying the amount of time Floyd was choked under Chauvin’s knee.
And it’s not just the protesters who are the reason for the spread of the virus. It is also the police. In an attempt to fend off the protesters, the police are using tear gases on the protesters, regardless of whether they are using peaceful methods or violent methods. The gases can burn the eyes and choke the lungs, and many protesters coughed. This was an apt way to transmit the virus. The police also arrested hundreds of protesters. Many jails have a problem with sanitization, thus having huge numbers of the virus. This method just allows the virus to spread a lot more.
The police used various brutal methods that only seemed to aggravate protesters, sparking many more protests around the nation. Some journalists reported that police officers were not wearing adequate masks as opposed to the protesters.
The U.S. is NOT putting its best foot forward in containing the virus. We are significantly behind all other countries, some of which have eliminated the virus completely. States like Arizona, Florida, Texas, and California are having surges in numbers now. The thing is, America never implemented a strict lockdown like India did. Americans still went out and about, and didn’t face many repercussions for potential putting populations at risk. Our approach to contain the virus during the spring seemed more like what Sweden did. Later, the Sweden health officials admitted that it wasn’t the best approach to contain the virus.
This is Los Angeles, where the police fired tear gas at the protesters and arrested 103 of them.
The problem with the government
And the worst part is that America simply refuses to learn from other countries. We have projected ourselves as one of the world’s leading superpower countries, but our actions off late prove nothing. In a constant war to simply be ‘The Best’, we are failing - badly.
There are essentially three ways the virus could end.
We impose strict lockdown with little to no movement throughout the nation. This method seriously suppresses the virus. Business-owners may have to face the brunt of this method, but with the nation’s support we can pace through it towards the finish line.
We encourage people to stay home, but let some people go out and about. We don’t worry about virus numbers, because together as a population we can develop herd immunity. This may be the quickest way, but it will most detrimental as many will die.
We find a vaccine, and the virus ceases to exist. For the next few years, there may be small spurts of the virus in select locations. This is the most optimistic measure, but it is unlikely.
In this address, President Donald Trump says that the new surge of the coronavirus will have 'a very good ending for the United States'.
The government seems to have no plan for the future. Journalist Adam Serwer attached the government’s reluctance to act to the idea that the government doesn’t want to help the minorities that are facing the brunt of the pandemic.
We really don’t know what is in store for the future, but the way we are running now clearly shows problems in the current system of America. The health-care system clearly highlights its incompetence in dealing with the pandemic with its huge disparities among race. State governments are clueless without the federal government’s aid. And the citizens are waiting restlessly for the major improvements in America, their voices just echoing back to them with no response.
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