OP-ED: To get concerts back amid the pandemic, we must follow these steps
I am sure we are all tired of hearing the words pandemic, corona, social distance, etc. I am tired of it, too, but mainly because not everyone is playing their part in keeping themselves and others safe. The worst part is that misbehavior during the pandemic is delaying the restart of one of the biggest industries: entertainment. I feel like we are children who got kicked off the playground because on child decided to shove another off the slide. It is ridiculous.
In my unprofessional, non-medical, and non-legal opinion, these are the steps we need to take to get concerts back ASAP.
1. Wear the damn mask.
I don't know why this is still an argument. Masks significantly lower transmission rates. Protect me and protect yourself by wearing the mask.
"A recent study published in Health Affairs, for example, compared the COVID-19 growth rate before and after mask mandates in 15 states and the District of Columbia. It found that mask mandates led to a slowdown in daily COVID-19 growth rate, which became more apparent over time. The first five days after a mandate, the daily growth rate slowed by 0.9 percentage-points compared to the five days prior to the mandate; at three weeks, the daily growth rate had slowed by 2 percentage-points" (University of California San Francisco, 2020).
2. Do not go out in public if you are feeling ill, even with a mask, especially in large crowds.
While many asymptomatic people are unknowingly spreading COVID-19, do not be that one kid that intentionally ruins the activity for the group. If you're displaying symptoms, alert your employer, stay home, and get tested.
3. That is it. Wait, really?
Yes, really. Wear the mask and stay home if you're ill. Once we can lower these rates, we can start having small, social-distancing shows again as we ease our way back into overcrowded venues and immense mosh pits. I miss my freakin' concerts, and I am sure you do, too. So let's work together to lower the numbers and bring them back!
P.S: Following these steps at a concert is essential to ensure that once concerts come back, they can stay for a while.
Source: "Still Confused About Masks? Here’s the Science Behind How Face Masks Prevent Coronavirus" by the University of California San Francisco.