Amid the increasing number of COVID-19 cases and efforts being put in place to curb the spread in many countries, some students in Alabama made ‘an adventure’ out of the deadly disease by throwing ‘COVID-19 parties’ to see which of them gets infected first.
The College students in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, reportedly invited people infected with the coronavirus and gamble on who comes down with the illness first.
Tuscaloosa City Councilor Sonya McKinstry told ABC News about the practice on Wednesday. The city’s fire chief, Randy Smith, first reported the parties at a meeting on Tuesday, according to WBMA.
Smith said the fire service had received reports of students throwing parties and inviting “known positives” but initially thought it was a rumor.
“Not only did the doctor’s offices help confirm it, but the state confirmed they had the same information,” Smith said, according to WBMA.
McKinstry went into more detail about the parties Wednesday, telling ABC News that not only were these parties with the infected taking place, but attendees were also gambling on who would get sick next.
“They put money in a pot and they try to get COVID. Whoever gets COVID first gets the pot,” she said.
“It makes no sense.”
McKinstry said authorities were trying to break up any parties they heard of — a challenging task.
“It’s nonsense,” she said. “But I think when you’re dealing with the mind frame of people who are intentionally doing stuff like that and they’re spreading it intentionally, how can you truly fight something that people are constantly trying to promote?”
Alabama residents are under an order to quarantine for 14 days if they test positive for the coronavirus. Breaking that quarantine can incur a fine up to $500.
As of Thursday, the state had confirmed more than 38,000 cases, including 2,049 in Tuscaloosa County. More than 2,800 people have been hospitalized with infections and 947 have died, according to state figures.
Health authorities have warned that intensive-care-unit beds might run out in the state.
Comments are closed.