EOHSI

The country is witnessing one of the most widespread nationwide civil rights protests in history and it’s coming just as COVID-19 cases are flattening or even declining in some places, said American College of Emergency Physicians spokesperson Aisha Terry, a George Washington University School of Medicine and Milken Institute School of Public Health emergency medicine and health policy associate professor. “In the midst of this perfect storm with thousands of people protesting, there’s no doubt it could lead to a resurgence of COVID-19 cases.”

Reports of tear gas use by officers in response to nonviolent protests raised concerns about how it accelerates disease transmission, as it forces people to pull off their masks to breathe.

Heavy or repeated exposure to tear gas can injure the respiratory tract and create long-term problems like chronic bronchitis, potentially leading to increased susceptibility to COVID-19 later, though those cases would likely be rare, said Howard M. Kipen, a Rutgers Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute expert.

Kipen said although tear gas has been around for a long time, “there’s not a lot of reliable information” on its long-term effects.

“It’s better off to not have anybody’s lungs exposed to tear gas,” he said.