Day 1,381: Trump’s superspreader rallies have caused 700 COVID-19 deaths in the past three months: Stanford researchers

Donald Trump, in blatant disregard of experts’ advice, has consistently put politics over the health of Americans when it comes to the coronavirus.

He’s done so over the long term by casting doubt on scientist’s warnings and recommendations, waving a dismissive hand at the efficacy of masks, claiming death figures are inflated by doctors for financial gain, touting fake vaccine timelines and faker treatments, and generally pretending the disease is something that doesn’t need to be taken seriously.

He done so over the short term in many ways as well, but most recently by holding rallies that lead to outbreak and death. According to a Stanford research paper, Trump rallies over the past three months have led to 30,000 infections and 700 deaths from COVID-19.

The working paper, released late Friday, examined the impact of 18 rallies held between June 20 and Sept. 30 by comparing spread of the virus after each event to parts of the country that didn’t host rallies. The findings illustrate the risks of not heeding public health warnings to wear masks and avoid large gatherings to mitigate the risks of Covid-19, the authors — including B. Douglas Bernheim, the chair of Stanford’s economics department — wrote.

“The communities in which Trump rallies took place paid a high price in terms of disease and death,” they wrote. Fifteen of the 18 events studied were held outdoors.

The White House’s response was nonsensical.

The White House called the study “flawed” and said it was intended to shame Trump supporters. “As the President has said, the cure cannot be worse than the disease and thiscand freedom of choice to limit the spread of Covid-19,” said spokesperson Judd Deere.

What’s clear is that where Trump goes, so too do outbreaks. That and no one cares less about his own supporters than Donald Trump.

1,381 days in, 81 to go

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