Protesters in Manhattan at the weekend. Covid-19 can be spread by asymptomatic carriers as well as those with symptoms. Photograph: Jeenah Moon/Reuters
Jessica Glenza, The Guardian: 'Really scary': experts fear protests and police risk accelerating Covid-19 spread
Public health scientists say teargas, pepper spray, close contact and masks’ limitations mean virus could spread during protests
Two public health emergencies have collided in the United States: the Covid-19 pandemic, and the epidemic of police violence against people of color, particularly black Americans.
As social unrest spurred by the police killing of George Floyd sweeps America, public health officials and government departments are grappling with the fear that demonstrators and police risk accelerating the spread of the coronavirus, which also disproportionately affects minority communities.
“This is the worst possible thing that could happen,” said Dr Howard Markel, director of the Center for the History of Medicine at the University of Michigan and an expert on pandemics. “It’s hard to know how many of those people are asymptomatic carriers, and that’s really scary.”
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Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- June 3, 2020
India-China border standoff raises military tensions -- Srinivas Mazumdaru, DW
Pakistan risking disaster with its contentious coronavirus strategy -- Haroon Janjua, DW
Hong Kong visas: why is the UK standing up to China now? -- Patrick Wintour, The Guardian
From China to India -- George Friedman, GPF
Why are India and Nepal clashing over disputed Himalayan territory? -- Lekhanath Pandey, DW
Kazakhstan on the Edge -- Aigerim Toleukhanova, The Diplomat
South Asia Will Be Poorer, Weaker, Less Democratic -- Arif Rafiq, WP Review
No End in Sight for Russo-Turkish Tensions in Syria -- Stephen Blank, CGP
Sudan: One year since crackdown government yet to deliver justice -- Hiba Morgan, Al Jazeera
Coronavirus: How lockdown is being lifted across Europe -- BBC
Brussels is using Covid-19 as an excuse to put off Brexit, but we must not be blown off course -- Stephen Glover, Daily Mail
