German researchers want to research how larger events can be organised again in the near future. Without the coronavirus being able to spread.
On August 22, researchers at Martin Luther University in Halle-Wittenberg will organise a concert of German pop singer Tim Bendzko for 4,000 music fans between 18 and 50 who are not infected with the virus. They are tested at the entrance and are given a medical mouth mask to ensure that the experiment does not cause a massive outbreak.
The concertgoers will have to wash their hands with a disinfectant alcohol gel that is also visible in UV light. In this way researchers can investigate what people touch the most and therefore is potentially dangerous. The study also aims to map the movements of concertgoers in order to reveal risk areas. They do this via a tracker that is hung around the test subjects' necks. A smoke machine helps to visualize the spread of the virus via aerosols. Finally, three different scenarios are tested: from a 'normal' concert to one in where everything is done to ensure social distancing.
We are trying to find out if there could be a middle way between the old and the new normal that would allow organizers to fit enough people into a concert venue to not make a loss.
The results of the study are expected in October. The concert is part of the 'Restart-19' project costing 1 million dollar. We hope that the research will help to get the event sector going again by delivering proof that a safe concert is possible.
