Atlanta mayor tells George Floyd protesters to get tested for coronavirus

Concerns about a potential increase in the spread of coronavirus have arisen as protests following the death of George Floyd cause large gatherings in major United States cities.

Atlanta's mayor told demonstrators that there's "still a pandemic" in the country and recommended they get tested for COVID-19 soon.

“If you were out protesting last night, you probably need to go get a COVID test this week," Keisha Lance Bottoms said.

The death of Floyd, who was black, occurred May 25 in Minneapolis. Police officer Derek Chauvin, who has been charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter, is accused in a criminal complaint of kneeling on Floyd’s neck for more than eight minutes.

Chauvin and three other Minneapolis officers were fired.

More than 1.7 million cases of coronavirus, and more than 100,000 deaths, have been recorded in the United States.

“We have two crises that are sandwiched on top of one other,” said Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey.

Bottoms, meanwhile, said, “there is still a pandemic in America that’s killing black and brown people at higher numbers.”

New York City, Minneapolis, Atlanta, Los Angeles and Chicago are among the major U.S. cities where protests have drawn large crowds following Floyd’s death.

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