The start of vaccinations in various countries around the world is beginning to revive global spirits as we move towards a post-pandemic reality as soon as possible. And of course, for music fans, a world without COVID-19 hopefully means a world with many concerts and festivals to satisfy their longing.
While we wait for concert venues to reopen, a German study has revealed a surprising possibility: concerts in enclosed spaces present minimal risk of COVID-19 contagion.
The study by the Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute , supported by the German government, took place at the Konzethaus concert hall in Dortmund over three days in November and aimed to analyze the movement of airborne particles in an enclosed environment.
After measuring aerosol transmission at the venue, which has a capacity of 1,500 people, the researchers concluded that the risk of infecting someone through aerosol transmission can be almost eliminated, provided the space has a sufficient supply of fresh air and all concertgoers wear masks.
“Concert halls and theaters are not places of infection,” declares Dr. Raphael von Hoensbroech , director of the Konzerthaus in Dortmund, according to IQ Magazine .
“The last few months have shown that policy needs a solid scientific basis for decision-making. With our study, we want to ensure that concert halls and theaters can once again admit a sufficient number of audiences when they reopen,” he states.
