Here’s some news to give music fans hope! New York Governor, Andrew Cuomo has confirmed that stadiums and arenas of up to 10,000 capacity will be allowed to reopen for concerts by the end of the month.
Cuomo said that stadiums can run at a capacity of 10% from February 23. It was also reported that attendees will need to produce a negative PCR test 72 hours in advance of the gig.
Fans will also have their temperature checked before entering the arena. Facemasks and coverings must also be worn at the event.
This also comes after we brought you the news last month that experiments to help the return of live music were to start in Luxembourg. See here.
There was also a study conducted in Germany which proves that your chances to contracting Covid-19 at a concert are quite low.
Pop up concerts
Between the 20 February and 6 September, pop up gigs will be organised at these US venues. These include Harlem Stage, Apollo Theater and Alice Busch Opera Theater.
Mr Cuomo also said that gigs will be staged at flexible venues with no fixed seating, so the event formats can be reconfigured allowing adequate social distancing.
Indoor arenas must also observe enhanced air filtration, purificiation and ventilation standards. Socially distanced seating configurations must also be implemented.
The reopening guidelines were tested by NFL team, Buffalo Bills last month. The Bills allowed 6,700 fans to attend the game socially distant. These fans produced negative Covid tests and agreed to contact tracing.
Cuomo called this an “unparalleled success”.
The Governor also emphasised the importance of a negative test to be allowed access into events.
He said, “The testing to me is key. I can go see the president of the United States, take a test and if I pass the test, walk into the Oval Office,’ he said. ‘Why? If you’re negative, you’re negative. Testing is the key”.
“This hits the balance of safe reopening… A PCR test is as safe as you can get. We are now going to extend the Buffalo Bills example”.
“Reopened intelligently and in a balanced way”
Governor Andrew Cuomo added, “While we continue to fight Covid on multiple fronts, we must also get this economy reopened intelligently and in a balanced way”.
He also stated, “Live sports and entertainment (concerts) have long been engrained in the fabric of New York and the inability to hold events has only added to the isolation we have all felt at the hands of this virus”.
This comes after the Chief Medical Officer, Dr Anthony Fauci said that he expects live events like concerts to fully return to America by this Autumn.
This is a very welcoming piece of news, which gives hope to music fans and the industry which has been severely hit since March 2020 when the first wave of coronavirus struck.
