COVID-19 has largely impacted various sectors in the world, including the entertainment industry. Many people have lost their lives due to coronavirus, leading to the introduction of different measures to limit its spread. For instance, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) has persistently advocated that crowding should be avoided (Yen, 2020). This recommendation is meant for people who organize large events such as concerts, sports, and weddings. The CDC guidelines are meant to complement the existing regulations imposed by governments and health institutions (Yen, 2020). Thus, COVID-19 is a major issue, and all people should ensure that they practice measures that limit its transmission.
The event organizers are encouraged to execute policies that promote measures that minimize the transmission of COVID-19 amongst the participants and the staff. The event planners are encouraged to sanitize their team and the individuals planning to attend a live concert to stay home, especially those diagnosed positive for the virus. Individuals experiencing replica symptoms to those of COVID-19 are encouraged to remain indoors and minimize movements (Yen, 2020). The event planners are also advised to develop efficient refund means to cater to the attendees who book live concert events but fail to show up because they have tested positive for COVID-19.
One of the guidelines implemented involves a temperature test, which should be conducted before the live concert begins. The attendees are expected to be six feet apart, while the organizers are expected to regulate the event size based on the six-foot apart rule. Being an audience of a live concert, I noticed that the participant’s number has reduced due to social distance, fear of contracting COVID-19, and quarantine. Additionally, the events are expected to be less crowded as the attendees are discouraged from physical contacts such as handshaking and hugging.
The CDC’s set guidelines require the show organizers,’ staff, and the event participants to wear masks correctly covering the mouth and the nose. Show planners have enforced rules such that individuals without masks are barred from live concerts. Furthermore, live concert managers have also implemented a regulation that babies younger than two years and persons with breathing complications should avoid such events. Another guideline that has been set to help keep the transmission at bay is regular hand hygiene (Yen, 2020). As such, the planners are encouraged to demand their staff and attendees to regularly wash their hands for at least twenty seconds before and after taking tickets. Moreover, hand washing has been used as one of the easiest methods of limiting transmission of the virus.
Having attended a live concert, I noted the adequate supply of health hygiene products. These goods included soap, water points, hand sanitizers, tissues, masks, wipes, and trashcans positioned at appropriate points. Correspondingly, the event had ushers to regulate the social distance and the persons using these materials at a go. The auditorium room had several posters at the entry and exit points in the restrooms. The messages displayed by the signs included proper wear of masks, social distancing, and regular hand washing.
Equally, the event had regular cessation intervals to ensure that the audience had time to relax. Mainly the breaks allowed one artist to exit the stage before another took over. These breaks also served as a time to sanitize sound systems such as microphones and pass the announcements on behavior rules to prevent transmissions. The event organizers also went to the extent of availing the statements in different languages to ensure all people received the message.
The show planners have developed a detailed cleaning schedule. The surfaces that were often touched were cleaned and disinfected regularly. The auditorium room for the live event was also clean and well organized. The number of individuals allowed to the restrooms at a go was minimized to allow social distancing. The event workers also guaranteed that the faucets, light switches, and doorknobs were well cleaned and disinfected before the next person was allowed in.
Before the entry, all the attendees standing in the line were requested to be six feet apart by the ushers. Moreover, the markers were used to inform the attendees of the spots to stand on and avoid. The guideline resulted in lengthy queues and set a slow tone for the event in general. To accommodate a sizable number of attendees, the event planners had several open-air tents outside with seats placed six feet apart. The auditorium room where the live concert took place was well ventilated, with windows and doors open throughout the event.
There is no direct proof that eating increases the transmission of COVID-19. However, the event planners for the day abolished food and drink services. The attendees were encouraged to avoid carrying foodstuff to promote unmasked interactions. Furthermore, the tickets’ payments were made through mobile banking and online banking services to avoid cash exchange. The event planners had organized emergency and first aid treatment procedures with the local health caregiver hospital to take care of the attendees and the staff if anyone got sick. Additionally, visible ambulances and paramedics were stationed outside the auditorium room.
In general, the live concert’s intensity and energy were minimal compared to the other live shows I have attended before. Some attendees termed the concert boring and had left before the event was over, which I had never experienced before. Although the event was not up to my expectations because of the set-out protocols heavily observed, I think the youth and the concert fans can support music concerts by attending such events and many shows held online. Ways to ensure that musicians can earn from the online shows can also be introduced to support their careers.
The measures affected the music since many people did not attend the concert due to the government’s restrictions. However, the performance worked well since the protocols were observed, and most of the audience enjoyed the music. Furthermore, the performers encouraged people to be careful and follow the various measures that healthcare professionals have provided. Although many individuals attended the concert, some claimed that they would be comfortable returning to live audience shows when the virus is eliminated. People should also support music in the COVID-19 era by exercising various practices. For instance, I can encourage my peers to educate people about the importance of adhering to the guidelines introduced when attending live concerts. Moreover, we can motivate musicians to use social media platforms such as Facebook and YouTube to perform live online shows. Technology has also advanced in many countries, and people can access the internet easily. Therefore, musicians can use social media platforms to reach many viewers, limiting the spread of the virus. Thus, people can learn various ways of enjoying music while still observing the COVID-19 measures.
Reference
Yen, M. Y., Schwartz, J., Chen, S. Y., King, C. C., Yang, G. Y., & Hsueh, P. R. (2020). Interrupting COVID-19 transmission by implementing enhanced traffic control bundling: Implications for global prevention and control efforts. Journal of Microbiology, Immunology and Infection, 53(3), 377-380. Web.