coronavirus
How big gatherings spread #COVID-19 - German scientists stage concert experiment
As part of the so-called Restart19 study, researchers from the University Medical Center in Halle want to find out how cultural and sporting events can safely take place without posing a risk to the population.
Volunteers were handed protective facemasks of the type typically used in hospitals and bottles of flurorescent hand sanitizer at the concert of German singer-songwriter Tim Bendzko in an indoor arena in Leipzig.
“I am extremely satisfied with the discipline displayed by the participants,” Stefan Moritz, the head of the study, told a news conference after the concert. “I was surprised how disciplined everyone was in wearing masks.”
He said results of the study, which is being financed by the states of Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt, were expected in four to six weeks.
The participants were also given contact tracers to help track the distance between concertgoers and to identify in which parts of the arena, such as entrance halls and grandstands, people might crowd too closely together.
Researchers asked participants to regularly disinfect their hands using the fluorescent sanitiser so scientists can identify - with the help of ultra-violet light - which surfaces are touched frequently and pose a risk for spreading the virus.
Sporting events such as Liverpool’s Champions League soccer match against Atletico Madrid and the Cheltenham Festival, a horseracing event, in Britain in March have been blamed for playing a role in spreading COVID-19.
Most events with big crowds have been put on hold.
A decision to grant approval for a concert of German singer Sarah Connor with 13,000 attendees on 4 September in Duesseldorf has faced sharp criticism by virologists and local politicians.
Share this article:
-
Motoring4 days ago
Fiat 500 vs. Mini Cooper: A Detailed Comparison
-
Horizon Europe4 days ago
Swansea academics awarded €480,000 Horizon Europe grant to support new research and innovation project
-
Bahamas4 days ago
Bahamas files Legal Submissions on Climate Change with International Court of Justice
-
Lifestyle4 days ago
Transforming Your Living Room: A Glimpse into the Future of Entertainment Tech