PORTLAND, Maine — As people across the country line the streets to protest the killing of George Floyd, thousands are standing shoulder-to-shoulder.
It's something health experts have told us not to do during the coronavirus pandemic.
"Anytime there is a gathering of people these days, we become concerned about the potential for infection," Dr. Michael Duffy said.
Dr. Duffy is the Senior Physician Executive at Northern Light Mercy Hospital in Portland. He said there could be a spike in coronavirus cases as a result of the large gatherings.
"Spread can occur from asymptomatic individuals to others that may go on to develop symptomatic and even severe disease. It becomes more worrisome," Dr. Duffy said.
He also said contact tracing becomes more complex.
"Tracing it back to an event where so many individuals came from different locations to attend a public event, that's one of those challenges."
He said while people have every right to protest, they should take the proper precautions to protect themselves.
"Be as safe as you can. Wear a mask. Practice good hand hygiene, practice distancing. Those are the things we encourage people to do in order to minimize their risk of getting infected," Dr. Duffy said.