Russian skateboarders could soon have a problem that has nothing to do with cops, security guards or busted boards.
A quarantine following the death of a laboratory worker in Siberia could leave skaters off the streets and skateparks unusually quiet.
For anyone who remembers 2020, this could feel like déjà vu. COVID restrictions closed skateparks, cancelled events, disrupted travel and made filming with crews much harder.
If restrictions expand in Russia, local skaters could once again find unable to meet up, film clips or spend the day skating around the city.
According to reports, dozens of people in Siberia have reportedly been placed under quarantine after a 28 year old woman working at the Irkutsk Anti Plague Research Institute of Siberia and the Far East became sick and died.
Russian outlet People of Baikal reported that the woman may have contracted pneumonic plague after a test tube broke at the laboratory. That claim has not been officially confirmed.
Russian authorities have also said there is currently no evidence that plague caused her illness.
The researcher, identified in reports as Darya Shipilova, reportedly became ill while at work on September 30. She died two days later at a hospital in the nearby town of Shelekhov.
Several reports have raised questions about a laboratory accident, although officials have not confirmed that one occurred.
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Around 200 people who came into contact with Shipilova have reportedly been quarantined or placed under medical observation. Parts of the hospital where she died were also restricted. An aluminium plant nearby has reportedly instructed workers to wear masks.
Rospotrebnadzor said two people who had contact with the researcher tested positive for COVID and another two had rhinoviruses. Officials said they had not detected other infectious diseases among those contacts.
Later on Monday, Russian authorities said testing found no evidence that the woman's illness was caused by any of the pathogens she worked with.
Irkutsk Governor Igor Kobzev described her cause of death as pneumonia of unknown origin. He also said no new cases among staff at the Anti Plague Institute had been reported in the following days.
Officials have said the situation is under control and that people who had contact with the woman have been identified, examined and placed under medical supervision.
For Russian skaters, the biggest concern is what happens if those precautions become broader.
Skateboarding depends heavily on public spaces. If people are told to stay home, street sessions disappear, skateparks can close and crews cannot gather to film. Local shops can also lose customers, while brands may have to postpone events, trips and video projects.
That could put another strain on an industry that already experienced major disruption during the COVID era.
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A similar situation in Russia would not necessarily mean the entire industry shuts down, but wider quarantine rules could have a serious effect on the local scene.
The health situation itself is still unclear. Plague is caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis and is usually associated with infected rodents and fleas. There are three main forms of the disease: bubonic, septicemic and pneumonic.
Bubonic plague affects the lymph nodes and can cause painful swelling known as buboes. Septicemic plague affects the bloodstream, while pneumonic plague affects the lungs and can cause coughing, chest pain and difficulty breathing.
Pneumonic plague is particularly concerning because it can spread between people through respiratory droplets during close contact. Untreated cases can become life threatening quickly, although antibiotics can successfully treat the infection when it is diagnosed promptly.
Plague is rare today, even in regions where the bacteria exists naturally. Siberia is among the areas where plague remains endemic, but human infections are uncommon.
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The current incident therefore does not mean Russia is experiencing another Black Death. Authorities have specifically said there is no evidence that the laboratory worker died from plague.
Right now, the people who came into contact with her are being monitored while officials investigate what happened.
That means Russian skateboarding has not been shut down, but skaters have a reason to pay attention if restrictions expand.