Attendees at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago are reporting COVID-19 infections following last week’s gathering, marking an unwelcome consequence of the event. Christopher Wiggins, a reporter for The Advocate, was among the first to share his diagnosis publicly, lamenting, “When you spend five days in Chicago for the DNC and come home with COVID-19.”
Wiggins’ experience is far from unique. Human rights lawyer Yasmine Taeb also reported falling ill, sharing her disappointment on social media with a picture of her positive COVID-19 test. “I arrived at the DNC healthy and hopeful and left very sick and disillusioned,” she wrote.
The convention, which marked the party’s first large in-person event since 2016, attracted widespread attention. However, it also raised concerns as many attendees appeared maskless despite the risks of viral transmission. Fred Wellman, host of “On Democracy Pod,” echoed these sentiments, humorously noting, “I brought home so much sweet swag from the DNC… and COVID! SWEET!”
The DNC’s decision to hold an in-person convention reflects the growing desire to return to normalcy. However, the outbreak among attendees demonstrates the challenges that still exist. While some took precautions, the spread of infections shows that the threat of COVID-19 hasn’t entirely subsided, especially at large-scale events. As political gatherings continue to shift back to in-person formats, the importance of balancing public health with traditional conventions remains in focus.
