Serious question for DU experts

[malaise]

If you knowingly spread a disease you can be arrested - why are these reckless ReTHUGs who refuse to be quarantined not arrested?

[McCamy Taylor]

1. People have been charged for spreading HIV

and people with Tb who will not take precautions can be arrested

[Buckeyeblue]

10. I was just talking about how knowingly spreading HIV was (or used to be) a crime

Why wouldn't the same standard apply to Covid?

[SheltieLover]

2. Good question!

Lock them up!

[Blue Owl]

3. Wondering the same...

[GoCubsGo]

4. Does it matter?

Who would charge them? It certainly won't be Bill Barr.

[malaise]

8. He'd be arrested

[brooklynite]

5. If they haven't been positively diagnosed, they don't "know" they're infectious.

[Leith]

6. Yes

Exactly.

shitgibbon knew he had been in contact with people like Hope Hicks. He's as "arrestable" as this sicko:

[malaise]

9. So if they refuse to be quarantined and then test positive

should they be arrested?

[brooklynite]

11. No.

[stopdiggin]

7. it's a serious question

and I think the answer(s), providing there are any, are to be found in logistics and common sense -- rather than legal theory. Public health officials almost certainly have the authority to refer charges (within their own jurisdiction) -- but if you are that health official do you really want to, or see any real profit in, turning the issue into a political brangle, and further obscure the public safety aspects? Similarly, the DA or prosecutor who is responsible for actually pressing charges has also to weigh the prospect of actually winning such a case -- against the cost of damages inflicted, legally, politically and personally -- in taking up such a case (with obvious political overtones, win or lose) in the first place. The suspicion here is that a lot of officials look at the calculus involved and think, "There is really no upside ..." (not even in terms of public safety)

I, personally, would have no problem with filing charges against Ron Johnson (given the allegations against him are true) -- but I'm also not the person that will be fielding threatening phone calls in the middle of the night, or facing politically motivated "investigation" and loss of home and career in a manner of weeks.

[malaise]

12. Michael Moore is talking about this

and other threats from the Con. Says he has weaponized Covid and has accidently shot himself.

[stopdiggin]

13. well, he (and the administration) have almost certainly "politicized"

the pandemic -- which in turn has made it much more difficult to apply, or even design, public health and safety measures in response.
(How would you like to be working for the Health Department in a rural red state/county these days? Fun, huh?)
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