COVID-19 and music festivals do not mix, and now, health officials are warning that concerts are helping to fuel the spread of the virus.
The Faster Horses Festival, which took place in Brooklyn, Michigan, from July 16th to 18th, has been linked to at least 96 coronavirus cases, with at least one person being infected by someone from the festival, even though they did not attend. Only 25 of the 96 people infected were vaccinated. Authorities in Oregon are investigating a similar superspreader event. They’ve linked 62 cases to the Pendleton Whisky Music Fest on July 10th in Pendleton, Oregon. Neither festival required attendees to show proof of vaccination.
Dr. Emily Landon, executive medical director for infection prevention and control at the University of Chicago Medical Center, slammed outdoor festivals, calling these recent events “the warning shot.”
“I think we’re finding it does matter what you do outdoors. And even though people are vaccinated, it looks like we may need to be more careful with super-crowded events.”
These latest findings come as venues welcome fans back to concerts and other events following a year of shutdowns, despite the COVID-19 delta variant running rampant.
Landon now recommends that all festivals and concerts require attendees to be vaccinated and wear their masks when entering packed areas.
