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Hundreds of thousands of people are expected at the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota as more Americans attend large gatherings this year after last year’s coronavirus blockages.
The rally has started Friday and will last more than 10 days with 700,000 people expected. The event was widely criticized as a “big-ticket event” last year amid the pandemic, which around 460,000 people attended.
Some state officials called for caution at the rally, in light of the delta variant of the virus, but said the rally could be done “safely” with “proper precautions.”
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“Anytime a large group of people come together there are risks, but with the proper precautions and mitigation practices it can be done safely,” said Daniel Bucheli, director of communications at the ministry. from South Dakota Health, to USA TODAY.
“We’ve come a long way since this time of last year in what we know about COVID-19, with tests widely available and COVID-19 vaccines available to the public,” Bucheli said. “We encourage all participants to continue to observe risk mitigation strategies and to make the choice to be vaccinated to protect themselves and others.”
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The event comes as other local leaders across the country urged caution in the face of delta variant fears, but helped Americans return to summer activities safely.
In Chicago last week, at least 385,000 people attended the Lollapalooza music festival, officials saying it was the largest festival held in the world this year.
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot urged the same caution as Bucheli at large gatherings and added that she had “no regrets” for allowing Lollapalooza to continue. Participants in the event had to be vaccinated or show proof of a negative coronavirus test.
“We checked with [attendees] every day, several times a day. We had our people at checkpoints, ”Lightfoot told Chicago radio station WVON-AM on Wednesday. “Every day, they turned away hundreds of people, either who did not have the correct papers or who had an expired test that was not correct. [taken] within 72 hours. It tells me that there is a rigor around the protocols they used to screen people. “
Meanwhile, in Southwest Florida, businesses are expected to experience a record year as tourism increases. The state set 2019 records for tourism, which came to a screeching halt in 2020 amid closures in other states across the country, Wink News reported in June.
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Now, the Southwest Florida International Airport expects a 60-90% increase in passenger numbers between June and August, as travelers flock to the state’s beaches.
“Last summer, last winter, last season was very positive for us, very busy,” said Alex Cass, general manager of the Carousel Beach Inn in Fort Myers Beach in June. “A lot of people are starting to travel again.”
“I think it was because of proactive policies that we had to try to keep the state open and let people make their own decisions about health care,” Council member Commissioner Brian Hamman said. Lee County Tourism Development Center.
Baseball sales have also made a comeback this year, with teams such as the Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers and Washington Nationals reporting thousands of fans in stadiums this season after the year’s blockages. last.
Ticket sales have “started to return to pre-pandemic levels. We see this trend continuing in all of our remaining matches,” Mike Carney, executive vice president of business operations and strategy, told Reuters this summer. of the Washington Nationals.
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As MLB chief revenue officer Noah Garden said, “In April, we all recognized there was pent-up demand.”
“It just picked up speed.… It’s not just people who want to go out – it’s been a year since they went out.… They want to spend money.”
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