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This fact brief was originally published as an experiment to test the concepts behind fact briefs.

Readers should be aware that while there is still a lot of useful information in fact briefs like this one, not all of them reflect Gigafact's current methods and standards for fact briefs. If you come across any that you feel are out of date, don't hesitate to contact us at support@gigafact.org.

FACT BRIEF

Did public health officials tell Black Lives Matter protesters not to worry about masks or social distancing?

Friday, June 19, 2020

By Miriam Himelstein

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As protests following the killing of George Floyd spread in early June, some public health officials expressed worries about the impact of the gathering crowds on the spread of the coronavirus. An open letter signed by more than 1,000 public health, medical professionals and "community stakeholders," sought to reconcile the protestors' commitment to express their views with the health risks of joining large public gatherings.

The letter, noting the relatively greater impact of COVID-19 on Black populations, said racial disparities are a "lethal public health issue" that predates the disease. Protests "must be supported," it said. The writers outlined ways organizers, protestors and law enforcement could each help lower the risk. They did not argue the risks were minimal or in any way should be ignored.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.

Sources

Google Drive: Open letter advocating for an anti-racist public health response to demonstrations

Time: Why so many doctors are supporting the protests

Politico: Suddenly social justice matters more than social distance

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Gigafact

Between 2020 and 2022, under close editorial supervision, Gigafact contracted a group of freelance writers and editors to test the concepts for fact briefs and provide inputs to our software development process. We call this effort Gigafact Foundry. Over the course of these two years, Gigafact Foundry writers published over 1500 fact briefs in response to claims they found online. Their important work forms the basis of Gigafact formats and editorial guidelines, and is available to the public on Gigafact.org. Readers should be aware that while there is still a lot of relevant information to be found, not all fact briefs produced by Gigafact Foundry reflect Gigafact's current methods and standards for fact briefs. If you come across any that you feel are out of date and need to be looked at with fresh eyes, don't hesitate to contact us at support@gigafact.org.

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Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.