Healthcare Expert Predicts Concerts And Festivals Will Not Return Until Autumn 2021

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(Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Coachella)

In regards to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, festivals and concerts will likely not return until autumn next year, an American healthcare expert has predicted.

In a recent roundtable discussion, hosted and transcribed by the New York Times, bioethicist and professor of healthcare management Zeke Emanuel says he has “no idea” how promoters that are rescheduling arts and music events for later this year “think that’s a plausible possibility”. Read the full video conference transcript here.

During the video conference, Emmanuel stated, “Larger gatherings – conferences, concerts, sporting events – when people say they’re going to reschedule this conference or graduation event for October 2020, I have no idea how they think that’s a plausible possibility. I think those things will be the last to return,”

Realistically we’re talking fall 2021 at the earliest.

While many large concert and festival events have simply cancelled this year, many have simply postponed. Events such as Coachella, which pushed its April events to October, the South American editions of Lollapalooza, J. Cole’s Dreamville Festival, Live at Leeds Festival and more – have simply postponed.

In regards to opening up the country as a whole – Emmanuel stated that he is not ‘wildly optimistic’. His reasoning is because the shelter in place policy has been very scattered throughout the United States and quicker testing has not been introduced to the entire country as of yet.

“Restarting the economy has to be done in stages, and it does have to start with more physical distancing at a worksite that allows people who are at lower risk to come back.”

“Certain kinds of construction, or manufacturing or offices, in which you can maintain six-foot distances are more reasonable to start sooner.”