Last week, the Democratic National Convention (DNC) took place in Chicago, spanning four days. While the event was enjoyable for some, an unexpected resurgence of Covid-19 left many attendees testing positive for the virus. What was meant to be a celebratory event for VP Kamala Harris and her running mate, Tim Walz, has now raised concerns about a potential nationwide surge of the virus.
According to the NY Post, the DNC unexpectedly became a major hotspot for a Covid-19 outbreak. Some attendees were seen taking precautions by wearing face masks during the four-day festivities. However, once the convention concluded, many people reported testing positive for Covid shortly after attending the event. This year’s convention was notably the first large in-person event organized by the Democratic Party since 2016, due to the pandemic emerging in 2020.
When you spend five days in Chicago for the DNC and come home with COVID-19.
Womp womp. pic.twitter.com/4xXq8PGNTi
— Christopher Wiggins (@CWNewser) August 25, 2024
As news of the outbreak spread on social media, many individuals criticized the Democrats for not implementing stricter health guidelines and safety precautions. Some users shared photos of their positive test results, believing they contracted the virus at the convention. Others posted photos of themselves wearing masks in contrast to those who didn’t take such measures. The outbreak sparked debates online about how the political parties are handling the virus, with some pointing out the differences between the Democratic and Republican conventions, the latter reportedly having stricter rules for attendees.
“A good chunk of the Maryland delegation to the DNC has tested positive for COVID. Congratulations on the superspreader event, Democrats,” People for the Green movement wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter). Another user commented, “After being boosted 729 times and quadruple masked, numerous DNC attendees have tested positive for COVID, congratulations.”
As of now, it remains unclear how many people were affected by the virus at the convention. However, with multiple attendees revealing their positive test results, concerns have been raised. With thousands of people attending the event, there is a significant possibility that many may have contracted the virus, further spreading it across the country. Health officials are on high alert, monitoring the Covid-19 cases and preparing for a potential nationwide surge.
