The test concert in Spain provides hope for festivals and concerts to happen safely. Scientists ran a test festival in Barcelona with 5,000 people attending to see if it could be done safely. Each music fan could only attend after testing negative for covid-19. Out of the 5,000 people attending 6 people tested positive within 14 days after the gig. Researchers concluded that 4 of them were infected elsewhere, not at the concert.
Researchers have found “no sign” of higher levels of infection among people who took part in the concert in March.
The band playing was Love of lesbians who thanked the Spanish authorities for letting them perform. There was no social distancing and the only precaution was that the concert goers had to wear masks.
With the positivity of this new research the look to the summer for concerts and festivals are more positive, especially in the UK. The route out of lockdown states by June 2021 the limit on social contact will be scrapped but scientists are uncertain if this is safe, the Spain concert research however provides more reassurance to a world without covid precautions.
Nonthless the public response is clear, they want live music back. Anna Tomusk, a student at City and Islington college who has booked a festival this summer states “I hope festivals happen, I really do. This research makes me more hopeful they won’t cancel this year.”
