Corona and Concerts

Written by Andie Ettenberg

December 7, 2021

Everyone loves going to concerts and seeing their favorite bands or artists perform live But, after the rise of the COVID-19 pandemic, most concerts were delayed or, in some cases, completely canceled. Now that vaccines have been distributed and the spread of the disease is slowing down, what will concerts be like in the near future? What safety measures will be taken to stop or slow the spread of the disease?

According to the Mayo Clinic, as of October 25, 2021, 57% of people in the United States over age 12 were fully vaccinated - but this does not necessarily mean they’re protected.  Most concert venues still require masks to prevent attendees from getting sick.

Oftentimes, concerts are held outdoors, where they can take up more room and give the attendees fresh air. This significantly lowers the ease at which COVID-19 can spread. Depending on the crowd, social distancing at outdoor concerts can be possible, making the risk heavily decrease. Although masks are helpful, people cannot be trusted to wear them all the time, especially while outdoors. Most of the time, guests are required to show proof of vaccination when buying tickets. According to wbur.org, attendees of the Boston Symphony Orchestra performance this past August must have either given proof of vaccination or evidence of a negative test within the previous week.

I actually attended an outdoor concert in September of this year - Global Citizens in New York City. There were over 60 thousand people gathered outdoors in Central Park to watch the artists perform, all of whom were vaccinated. However, hardly anyone was wearing a mask consistently throughout the show. There were no rules about masks or social distancing enforced, so it felt very crowded and a bit uncomfortable. 

With the introduction of the Delta variant, indoor concerts have been heavily discouraged by many health guidelines. They’re very crowded and in an enclosed space, so even with masks, the amount of people is dangerous. Because COVID-19 is spread through particles in the air, being in close contact with others puts people at risk of getting infected.

A fellow student at MHS went to a Don Toliver concert at the House Of Blues in Cambridge He said that safety precautions were taken, however, “once [they] got inside, like no one had masks on, and it was super crowded.” They had been to a concert pre-COVID-19 at the same venue and said the amount and spacing of people were very similar. This is a cause for concern, as it shows that when it comes down to it, there is often a disregard for the rules.

As the pandemic has calmed down, there has once again been a rise in the popularity of in-person concerts. But still, things are not completely back to normal. Most larger indoor venues are only accepting a smaller number of attendees to maintain social distancing rules.

Research shows that going to concerts could very well be possible in most situations, given the attendees and the establishment are able to go through the measurements necessary to keep one another safe. The Boston Symphony Orchestra’s website says that “Under the core planning principle that health and safety are paramount, the roadmap for returning to live programs at Symphony Hall is grounded in a layered approach designed to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission and is based on the best available science and philosophy of holistic risk reduction. The BSO remains committed to monitoring and following the science behind all recommended protocols and restrictions and updating ticket buyers every step of the way.” Showing concern for everyone attending and performing, and making it seem to be a safer atmosphere.

When considering whether or not to attend a concert now that the COVID-19 pandemic is at large, one must take into account the different risks involved in going to a public space as large as that of a park or a theater/stadium. It really just ends up depending on one’s comfort level and the precautions they’re willing to take.