Face masks, social distancing not required at upcoming Tulsa Trum prally

Those who plan to attend President Donald Trump’s rally this weekend in Tulsa will not be required to wear face masks or social distance, CNN reports.

This comes even as public health officials continue to stress the importance of both measures in the fight against the coronavirus.

According to campaign manager Brad Parscale, eventgoers will however be subject to temperature screenings before entering the venue.

Hand sanitizer will also be provided, and each attendee will receive a mask, but will not be required to wear it.

The Tulsa Health Department said in a statement obtained by CNN that it is “concerned about the safety of any large gathering of people in enclosed spaces where social distancing is difficult to maintain.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention outlines the highest risk events for transmission of the coronavirus this way: “Large in-person gatherings where it is difficult for individuals to remain spaced at least 6 feet apart and attendees travel from outside the local area.” The CDC recommends cloth masks in places where people might shout or chant.

This rally will be Trump’s first since March, when the pandemic was first widespread reported in the US.

Dr. Ashish Jha, director of Harvard’s Global Health Institute, called the upcoming Trump rally “an extraordinarily dangerous move for the people participating and the people who may know them and love them and see them afterward.”

The Trump campaign, in recognition of the risk, has tried to protect itself from lawsuits with waiver language on its registration website.

“By clicking register below, you are acknowledging that an inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists in any public place where people are present,” the campaign advised those signing up for the rally. “By attending the Rally, you and any guests voluntarily assume all risks related to exposure to COVID-19 and agree not to hold Donald J. Trump for President, Inc.” liable for illness or injury.

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