Two outdoor music festivals raise concerns as more than 150 attendees test positive for COVID-19

© Photo by Erika Goldring / Getty Images
Kelsea Ballerini performs during the Faster Horses Festival at Michigan International Speedway on July 17, 2021 in Brooklyn, Michigan. Photo by Erika Goldring / Getty Images

• Health officials traced a total of 158 cases of the coronavirus to two music festivals in July.
• Even in outdoor locations, participants clustering closely together results in high exposure to aerosols.
• NYC will apply proof of vaccination at concerts starting September 13.
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Health officials are investigating recent outbreaks of COVID-19 linked to two outdoor music festivals as the delta variant continues to spread in the United States.

Officials traced 96 cases to the Faster Horses Festival held in Brooklyn, Michigan, July 16-18, and 62 cases at the Pendleton Whiskey Music Fest held in Pendleton, Ore., July 10, none of which ‘between them not requiring participants to be vaccinated, Rolling Pierre reported.

Umatilla County, Ore., Public health director Joe Fiumara told Rolling Stone that contact tracing confirmed that much of the transmission took place in an area where fans were in close proximity to each other. others.

Video: Large outdoor events like concerts remain safe despite COVID concerns, experts say (CBS Boston)

Large outdoor events like concerts remain safe despite COVID concerns, experts say

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The CDC updated its guidelines on July 27, recommending that fully vaccinated people wear masks in indoor public places in areas of high or high transmission.

“If you’re outside and you’re wrapped up with someone, it is like an indoor environment, where you have very high aerosol exposure from the person a foot away from you. , even inches away from you, ”the aerosol scientist said. Alex Huffman told Rolling Stone.

Other music festivals are opting for more stringent approaches. Organizers of New Jersey’s Sea Hear Now Festival, which are expected to bring Pearl Jam, The Smashing Pumpkins, Patti Smith and Billy Idol to Asbury Park on September 18-19, will require attendees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or produce a negative test result, according to NJ.com.

Starting September 13, attendees at concerts in New York will be required to provide proof of vaccination using the city’s new app, the state’s Excelsior app or a paper map, the New York Times reported.