Scientists have been working really hard since the health crisis broke out to come up with effective treatments and vaccines against Covid-19. Others are carrying out different experimentations to assess the contamination risk in show and concert venues. This is what has been planned this spring in France. Invited on BFMTV this April 23, Roselyne Bachelot announced the first test concert scheduled at Paris Accor Arena might take place "within two weeks."
This April 27, ours peers from Le Parisien reveal this famous Accor Arena test concert might take place on May 29, 2021. At least, promoters of this giant experimentation - namely Prodiss and Paris AP-HP - are getting ready for this date.
"We have found fundings for the show and only wait for those for the scientific part via ministers", Prodiss member and part of the event organizing team Marie Sabot said. "Green light is only a matter of days, I hope, since the government made it a national priority", she added in the daily.
Since then, we have been told the authorities gave their green light. The "'Ambition Live Again' experiment projet supported by Prodiss for months has bene approved, as Minister for Culture Roselyne Bachelot announced to the members of the National Council of Show Professions (CNPS)" gathered this May 11, Prodiss told AFP.
"This is a project carrying hope for a sector that needs it, as they have been on a standstill for now 14 months (...) Today, the September's resuming is starting", Prodiss added in a release.
This is good news then for all people who were losing hope to see test concerts held in France. Lately, the government even decided to declare this event a national priority. An event likely to gather 5,000 people. As for the health protocol, the audience will be tested ahead of the show and will have to show negative test. They will be masked and attend the show in a standing configuration, as 2,500 other people will stay home.
As for the lineup, Indochine have been confirmed as the headline for this test concert.
In an interview released this May 18, in Le Parisien, Minister of Culture Roselyne Bachelot stands up for the organization of this test concert in Paris, saying Barcelona's - successfully conducted two months ago - is "already not valid anymore".
"Barcelona's (concert) is already not valid anymore with the outbreak of variants", the minister said. "We need to adapt to the epidemic. This is undoubtedly what is hard to percolate in the public opinion. We're asked to change, yes, the virus changes, we must adapt", she added in the daily.
And what about the test concerts held by the INSERM at Marseille Dôme? According to the latest news, the project is not going to continue.
For the record, other countries have already carried out such experimentations. This is the case of Spain, in mid-December 2020. The idea was to hold a “test concert” in Barcelona with a very strict health protocol and test participants a few days later in order to find out if a cluster broke out during the show. Outcome? Eight days after the event, no volunteer tested positive for Coronavirus. This is what Spanish daily El Mundo stated.
In concrete words, during this test – held by famous Spanish festival Primavera Sound – strict measures have been instated on site in order to prevent likely contamination. Therefore, the test included 1,047 people. 463 of them went to a show held in a 900-seat venue, and the 496 others did not. Prior to the event, volunteers taking part in the show had to take a Covid-19 screen test. Once on site, FFP2 mask-wearing was compulsory. Other measures? The room was aired as well as possible and the room temperature was thoroughly monitored.
Following this experimentation, scientists noticed that the 463 in the arena tested negative for Covid-19. Yet, in the other 496, two of them tested positive. What did the instigators conclude on the experimentation? If strict health protocol is instated and complied with, there is not a lot more contamination risks during an event with a lot of people.
This Tuesday April 27, another good news made live music fans happy. After hosting a test show in Barcelona, none of the 5,000 spectators has been infected. The latter attended a show, masked, standing, and without social distancing.
