COVID CONCERT TRIAL SUCCESSFUL, NO NEW INFECTIONS RECORDED

A month after an experimental COVID concert in Barcelona to test how to resume large-scale indoor events, organizers have said there are "no signs" of coronavirus infection among the 5,000 participants.

Organized by a local hospital and a group of Spanish music promoters, the concert in the Palau de Sant Jordi was billed as Europe's biggest indoor rock concert since the start of the pandemic, RFI reported.

The participants underwent PCR tests two weeks after the 27 March event. On Tuesday, Josep Maria Llibre, a specialist in infectious diseases from the Germans Trias i Pujol hospital told a news conference: "There is no sign that suggests transmission took place during the event."

'Guaranteed safe space'

It featured one of Spain's most popular bands, indie rockers Love of Lesbian. Participants wore FFP2 surgical masks at the concert but there was no assigned seating or mandatory social distancing.

Capacity at bathrooms was limited to avoid crowding.

Ahead of the gig, everyone underwent mass screening and antigen tests, and 15 days later only six people had tested positive for COVID-19.

"We are certain that in four of these six cases, transmission did not take place during the concert," Llibre said. "With optimized ventilation, antigen tests, and the wearing of face masks, we can guarantee a safe space."

'Very safe'

Boris Revollo, the virologist involved in the design of the health protocols at the concert, said he could not "categorically" rule out that the other two people were infected during the concert but there was a "very high probability" that they had not. "The measures which we implemented were very safe," he added.

The Palau can welcome 17,000 people, but the 5,000 ticket holders were not allowed into its stands and instead were restricted to the dance floor.

The deputy mayor of Barcelona, Jaume Collboni, said the results of the study show "it is possible to relax" virus health restrictions and "restart cultural activities".

Trial concert or festival events have been held in several European countries, including in Germany and the Netherlands, as part of efforts to allow crowds to form again to see live music.

According to a study published by Spain's Music Federation, the European music industry lost 76 percent of its earnings in 2020.

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