Medical College CEO ‘concerned about the potential impact of the protests’

Thousands of people have taken to the streets of Milwaukee this past week, protesting the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

That’s raising some concerns for those in the medical field.

“I’d like to start by acknowledging the pain and anger that people are feeling about the killing of George Floyd and the long-standing frustration about the slow pace of dealing racism and racial disparities, so I don’t want to minimize in any way the reasons why people would feel outrage or wish to exercise their right to protest peacefully,” Dr. John Raymond, CEO of the Medical College of Wisconsin, tells WTMJ.

“But I am concerned about the potential impact of the protests. Not just because of crowding and the fact that some people weren’t wearing face coverings, but also because we know African American and Latino populations and other disenfranchised minorities have a higher likelihood of contracting COVID-19. And minorities have worse outcomes, especially African Americans.”

Froedtert and the Medical College of Wisconsin had already seen a spike in cases as a result of ‘safer-at-home’ orders being lifted.

“We did see our largest three-day total of COVID-19 cases last week,” added Raymond. “With about 1,700 cases from Thursday through Saturday, and that is of significant concern. On the other hand, we’re not seeing a huge spike in hospitalizations or deaths.”

For the full interview with Raymond on Wisconsin’s Morning News, click in the player above.