As of Monday evening, L.A. County had at least 2,386 deaths and 56,017 confirmed cases of coronavirus. Statewide, the L.A. Times is reporting more than 115,000 confirmed cases and more than 4,000 deaths. The number of cases are on track to double about every 29 days.
Public health officials are still urging social distancing and for people to wear facial coverings. Experts are concerned that mass protests and riots over the last several days across the country in response to the death of George Floyd could lead to increased cases of the virus. The use of tear gas by law enforcement in Los Angeles during protests this weekend may lead to more cases of COVID-19, experts said.“During this time when we're protesting police brutality, the use of tear gas is causing more harm in the way of spreading COVID,” said David Eisenman, professor of medicine and public health at UCLA. “There is some culpability on the police for using this method, which increases the sneezing and increases the coughing and therefore increases the spread." Eisenman is also concerned that law enforcement isn’t considering social distancing while people are in custody. Police officers making arrests in L.A. corralled people together in some cases and herded them onto buses.
Today on AirTalk, Eisenman joins Larry to discuss this issue. We’ll also look at what we know about so-called “silent spreaders,” who carry and spread the virus without any symptoms. Do you have questions? Call 866-893-5722.
With files from LAist. Read the full story here.
Guest:
David Eisenman, M.D., professor of medicine and public health at UCLA; director of the university's Center for Public Health and Disasters; Associate Natural Scientist at RAND