Hot Press (07/12/21) Brayden, Kate

A Parisian test concert held on May 29 found the COVID-19 infection at the event was similar among attendees to that observed at a concert at the Accor Arena. The Study on PRevention of SARS-CoV-2 transmission in a large INdoor Gathering (SPRING) sought to test the safety of allowing live music shows without limiting audience numbers, and French live music association Prodiss and Paris hospital AP-HP performed a clinical trial into COVID infection rates after the event. The nearly 4,000 concertgoers wore masks without social distancing, and participants were between 18 and 45 years old and had taken a negative antigen test in the three days prior to the concert; staff also were tested. Each participant took a COVID test on the day of the concert as well as a week later, and while 50% of participants had received at least one vaccine dose, just 7% were fully vaccinated. Eight attendees tested positive following the concert, versus three out of approximately 2,000 in the control group who stayed home. Five of those eight were already positive the day of the concert, meaning they were not infected during the event. The incidence rate among the two groups was 0.2% and 0.15% respectively, which the report said "corresponds to the estimated incidence rate in Ile-de-France in the two weeks leading up to the concert." Artificial intelligence quantified compliance with mask-wearing rules to be at 91% during the concert.

Read the full story from Hot Press.