Public health warns of virus spread at demonstration
Police say gatherings should be limited to five people but support the rally
Niagara’s acting medical officer of health says he and his department stand firmly behind the cause people organizing Saturday’s #Justice4blacklives are fighting for, but warns the novel coronavirus is impervious to such concerns.
Dr. Musfata Hirji said Wednesday raising awareness about racism is an important piece of the public health department’s mandate, however, he said the protest in Niagara Falls could further spread the potentially deadly virus.
He also said the demonstration is “not consistent” with emergency orders issued by the Ontario government to fight COVID-19 limiting gatherings to five people.
Niagara Regional Police, which
threw its support behind the demonstration, conceded gatherings must be limited to five people, but is trying to strike a “balance.”
“We are striving to find a balance between the current pandemic climate and the resulting restrictions and the community coming together in a peaceful demonstration against social injustice and the fight against racism,” said NRP spokesperson Stephanie Sabourin.
The event is being held following the death of George Floyd, a Black man killed in Minneapolis when a police officer pressed his knee into his neck for several minutes, and also because of past incidents involving Black people and police, as well as to shed light on how Black lives can be perceived not just in the United States.
Hirji said race is a key metric when considering social determinants of health — which include socioeconomic conditions that directly impact the health of people and communities. Some communities, often those of people of colour, have less access to jobs, health and other services that improve health. In the U.S., this often includes Black communities and statistics show the novel coronavirus is having a greater impact on them.
For that reason, Hirji said the health department “absolutely” supports the reasons why people want to demonstrate. But the department is also fighting the spread of COVID-19 and he said a demonstration is an excellent place for the virus to find more victims.
He said the close proximity of demonstrators increases the risk of virus spread. He also said at demonstrations people speak louder than normal, and that projection of voices tends to spread droplets containing the virus further.
Organizers of the event that starts at noon said demonstrators are expected to stand two metres apart on both sides of the sidewalk along Victoria Avenue, starting at the entrance to Highway 420. At 2 p.m., they’re expected to march down Victoria Avenue, toward Bridge Street, and end up near the Whirlpool Bridge.
The plan is for demonstrators on the Canadian side of the river to be within view of demonstrators who will gather on the U.S. side.
Hirji pointed to a South Korean megachurch that became the site of a large outbreak. The singing, preaching and shouting during a service spread the virus, sickening many people.
Anyone planning to go to the demonstration with even a mild symptom related to COVID-19 should not go and should get tested, Hirji said. He also recommended demonstrators socially distance as much as possible and wear masks to reduce possible spread of the virus.
NRP Chief Bryan Macculloch said his officers will be at the event to “show our support as we recognize the value and importance of building strong relationships between the police and the community we serve.”
“Our objective, as always, is to maintain the public peace and ensure the core values of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms are maintained,” he said, adding the NRP is working with organizers of the demonstration.
He said the NRP “continually” reinforces to officers that all people are to be treated with respect and dignity “regardless of race, colour, ancestry, religion, place of origin, ethnic origin, citizenship, gender or sexual orientation.”
“We build trust one day at a time, one interaction at a time,” Macculloch said.