Number of the Day
The Cost of the Infamous Virus-Spreading Motorcycle Rally
A stark reminder that public health precautions and economic outcomes are in alignment, not conflict
$12.2 billion: That’s the estimated healthcare costs stemming from Covid-19 infections potentially traceable to the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, according to an IZA Institute of Labor Economics discussion paper.
The 10-day early-August event in South Dakota (featuring a Smash Mouth concert, among other diversions) attracted an estimated 460,000 motorcycle enthusiasts from around the country. It also attracted no shortage of media attention for participants’ overall indifference to social distancing, mask-wearing, or any other precaution to minimize the spread of Covid-19. Subsequently, a group of researchers used anonymized cell-phone data and information from the Centers for Disease Control and other sources to gauge the event’s impact.
They estimate that more than 250,000 cases might be traced to the Sturgis rally — making this potential super-spreader event responsible for roughly 19% of all U.S. cases between August 2 and September 2. (Some argue this may be exaggerated; the sorry state of contact tracing makes it impossible to know for sure.) Using other researchers’ estimate…
