It’s now been about a month since the Lollapalooza music festival took place in Chicago. Was it the super spreader event that the city feared? Among 385,000 attendees, 203 people are reported to have contracted Covid-19 which represents less than 1% of those in attendance. Are concerts safe again?
In a new Billboard article, journalist Steve Knopper sat down with infectious disease expert Dr. Amesh A. Adalja about the risk of attending a concert or other live event while we are experiencing a surge of new Covid-19 infections.
Wearing masks and being vaccinated is a good start in the transition for live events reappearing. According to Dr. Adalja, the more vaccinated the crowd, the safer the event is. This statement pairs well with AEG’s recent striking update that the live entertainment company is requiring vaccinations, not only negative tests or wearing masks at it’s events.
Attending an outdoors festival is much safer than being in a crowded indoor environment, but the risk of contracting Covid-19 remains. The severity of infections vary, even among the vaccinated, with some requiring hospitalization. Preventing as many cases as possible through vaccinations and masking up will keep our hospitals from becoming overwhelmed.
If you wish to attend concerts in the upcoming future, secure the safety of both yourself and your community by getting vaccinated. For more information and to schedule an appointment near you, visit www.vaccines.gov.