Explained: Why ‘coronavirus parties’ are a new worry in the US

The developments come at a time when Alabama is one of several states reporting record increases in new coronavirus cases in the past week in what has raised fears of a “second wave” of infections. The state has reported more than 1,000 infections for the past two days.

Alabama has so far reported 43,450 cases, including 984 deaths. At least 2,188 of those cases are in Tuscaloosa County, which has recorded 42 deaths. Governor Kay Ivey has extended the state of emergency in the state to September 9.

What are Covid parties?

The concept of Covid parties involves inviting students who have tested positive for the novel coronavirus along with uninfected people. Then bets are placed on who contracts the virus first. The first person confirmed by a doctor to have been infected after the exposure wins the money made off the ticket sales.

We have been aware for weeks of the rumors about COVID parties. We conducted a thorough investigation, + although we have been unable to identify any students who may have participated in these types of activities, we will continue to follow up on any information we receive
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— The Univ. of Alabama (@UofAlabama) July 2, 2020

Where have these Covid parties been held? Is it a new trend?

The parties have been reported from Tuscaloosa, a city in western Alabama, which is home to The University of Alabama and several other colleges. However, similar instances of coronavirus parties have also been reported earlier in Washington’s Walla Walla County, with officials saying some of the nearly 100 cases in the region appear to have been intentionally spread or infected at these “Covid parties.”

Back in March, Kentucky governor Andy Beshear said during a daily public-health update that one case in the state had been tied to a “coronavirus party”.

We’ve been getting reports of “coronavirus parties” where uninfected people are mingling with #COVID19 positive individuals intentionally to try to contract the virus. Bad idea! This is dangerous and puts people at risk for hospitalization or even death. https://t.co/3hZYF7KjQN

— WA Dept. of Health (@WADeptHealth) May 7, 2020

How have the authorities reacted?

The developments came to light after Tuscaloosa Fire Chief Randy Smith confirmed the incidents to the city council last week, AP reported.

City Council member Sonya McKinstry told CNN that authorities thought it was a kind of rumour at first. “We did some research, not only do the doctors’ offices confirm it, but the state confirmed they also had the same information,” she said.

“They put money in a pot and they try to get Covid. Whoever gets Covid first gets the pot. It makes no sense. We are trying to break up any parties that we know of,” she further said.

The city is working on getting the word out and cracking the whip on such parties. It also passed an ordinance making masks mandatory while stepping out last week that goes into effect on Monday.

What has made the task difficult for authorities to track how many students have been infected is the fact that many of them have out-of-state addresses and just go to school in Alabama.

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In a statement, the University of Alabama said it had been aware of “rumours” of students throwing “Covid parties” and had conducted an investigation. “We conducted a thorough investigation, and although we have been unable to identify any students who may have participated in these types of activities, we will continue to follow up on any information we receive and educate our students about essential precautions,” the university said in a statement.