In Germany, 1,500 people volunteered in an experimental indoor concert for researchers to see how the spread of coronavirus can be avoided during events and mass gatherings. Everyone was equipped with face masks, contact trackers, and fluorescent gel sanitizer while they enjoyed a live performance by Tim Bendzko during the RESTART-19 COVID transmission risk assessment study.
The researchers hope to apply the same precautions in gatherings such as actual concerts and sports events, especially as America gets ready for the 2020 MTV Video Music Awards at the end of August. A critical tool that the experiment relied on was every participant's transmitter that measured contact rates and distances of each person.
A team from the University of Halle could then monitor every single person and trace how many other people they came into contact with, or critical contacts, along with specific times and locations during the show. At the same time, the fluorescent gel would show which surfaces were frequently touched.
Professor Michael Gekle from the University of Halle shared that the results could help authorities prepare for upcoming events. Data has to be gathered now to make valid predictions, shared Professor Gekle, "we cannot afford another lockdown."
'Like a Real Concert'
The research team will provide politicians a tool that will help them decide rationally whether to allow such an event or not. "That means they have to have the tool to predict how many additional infected people such an event will produce," said Professor Gekle.
The experiment involved three scenarios that involved concert preparations pre-pandemic, the second one during the pandemic, and the last one with fewer participants. The team can then use a mathematical model to evaluate hygiene interventions and release the conclusions by the end of the year.
However, there are many other factors to consider, such as cultural practices and allowing the consumption of alcohol. Gekle assured that the participants were at low risk of infection since they came from states that had low transmission rates.
The volunteers shared how the controlled event almost felt normal. The performing band also shared that the live interaction with an audience 'almost felt like a real concert.'
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It Felt Like a Dream
"I wish that it will be possible to play at big concerts again someday soon," said Tim Bendzko. "But we all understand that we now have to live with the virus, and we have to take a certain risk."
One participant, 26-year-old Kira Stuetz, said the experience first felt like a dream to her and her husband. "At first, it almost felt wrong; all people came so close together." This was in the pre-pandemic simulations.
Event organizers around the world had also been finding alternative ways to safely gather people, including driveby movie theaters and live concerts. Other venues also opted for virtual events such as at-home concerts. This experiment is just one of the initial steps in understanding how to conduct indoor events safely.
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