Trump Rally Draws Hundreds to Staten Island as President Is Hospitalized

Less than two days after Donald Trump announced he had tested positive for coronavirus, hundreds of people gathered in Staten Island to show their support for the president. And, to absolutely no one’s surprise, many of these Trumpers failed to comply with simple precautionary measures.

Organized by the Staten Island Republican Party, the event took place in the borough’s Charleston neighborhood on Saturday afternoon, as Trump remains at Walter Reed Medical Center receiving treatment for COVID-19. Videos and photos of the rally immediately began circulating on social media, showing the a large number of attendees without proper face coverings.

“If you are going to get the virus, which is serious, you are going to get it,” Staten Island attorney Joseph Sorrentino told NY1. “You can wear all the masks you want, you’re getting the virus if you’re getting the virus. The mask is not helping you … I only wear a mask when I’m forced to.”

Twitter users criticized the ralliers for their blatant disregard for safety guidelines that could significantly reduce contagion probability. According to SILive, Staten Island has tallied 15,768 positive coronavirus cases since the start of the pandemic; the borough is also has the second-highest infection rate in NYC “with 3,311 positives per 100,000 residents.”