Health experts are offering differing recommendations about testing or even self-quarantine for those attending the recent large gatherings and protest marches around the Bay Area. Recent demonstrations against racial injustice have drawn thousands across the Bay Area and the state, and in many cases protesters are taking pandemic precautions.
"Make sure that when people are out protesting that they are wearing a mask and trying to distance themselves," said East Bay Congressman Eric Swalwell. Swalwell says he is concerned about the impact the protest will have on the coronavirus case count, which has been rising.
"We don't want these abuses to exist with the cloak of Covid in that we're silent and don't do anything about it," said Swalwell, "but we also don't want to see massive community spread."
That is why Los Angeles County is advising people who protest to self-quarantine for two weeks. So far, Bay Area health officials have not gone that far, but they are asking demonstrators to get tested for the coronavirus. The Santa Clara County Health Department says that anyone who went to a protest should wait 3-5 days before getting tested to allow the virus to incubate so they don't get a false negative result.
