The Covid-19 virus has paused large-scale events in countries around the world. But now the Dutch government has tentatively agreed to trial large live events. The project will see if it’s possible to host events with larger audiences and minimise coronavirus transmission.
Dutch broadcaster NOS reports that State Secretary for Economic Affairs and Climate, Mona Keijzer, has tentatively approved the trial events — but only in regions of the Netherlands where the Covid risk is at Level 1. However, currently all regions of the Netherlands are at either Level 3 (serious) or Level 4 (severe).
But when the right conditions are met, there are plans to hold a test music concert event in the Amsterdam venue Ziggo Dome. Organisers are aiming to begin in January.
The Back to Live project is the initiative of Fieldlab Events — an organisation involving the Dutch events sector in collaboration with the Dutch government.
Fieldlab spokesperson Tim Boersma told NOS, “We are working with the organisers on a safe pop concert and dance event. With, as it looks now, 1300 people.”
A concert of bubbles
The concertgoers will be separated into five different “bubbles” — smaller sections with a maximum of 250 people each. The bubbles will be kept apart and will not come into contact with people in other bubbles. Each bubble will even have their own bar and own toilet facilities.
Prior to the event, the concert attendees will likely be required to show proof of a recent negative Covid-19 test and undergo a temperature check or rapid test at the entrance.
After the concert, attendees must avoid contact with at-risk groups for two weeks.
As well as trialling the indoor music event, there are also plans to trial events such as football matches, outdoor concerts and theatre events.
Will the trials relate to Eurovision Scenarios B and C?
While Eurovision 2021 isn’t specifically mentioned in relation to the trials, the project does seem to reflect the proposed Eurovision set-up of Scenarios B and C.
In those situations, the Rotterdam Ahoy would have a live audience, but the audience would be required to observe social distancing. It would also mean that delegations would be smaller than usual. Scenario C also provides for some delegations to stay home and participate via a pre-recorded performance, similar to the set-up of Junior Eurovision 2020.
The Back to Live concert trial could indicate how a live audience under scenario B or C show might be organised. The trial audience of 1300 people is considerably less than Ahoy Rotterdam’s maximum capacity of 16,426.
The EBU has previously said that the feasibility of Scenario A — the usual full-size Eurovision show and audience — “largely depends on the roll-out of a possible vaccine for Covid-19 or the availability of reliable testing.” While there have been recent promising developments in the search for a Covid-19 vaccine, the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment have said it will take at least one year to vaccinate the whole of the Netherlands.
What do you think? Would Eurovision 2021 work with audience bubbles? Tell us your thoughts below!
Good news to hear, also I’ve thought that because of the great development of the vaccines, I think the ebu should contact with one of the vaccine companies to give vaccines to the contestants and the delegations before they travel to Rotterdam that what happened to Robyn in the Dutch JESC final won’t happen to one/some of the contestants there. I hope The Netherlands can host a normal eurovision as it was hosted before COVID entered our lives.
I’m not so sure if they’re comparable, though…dancers have to be so close to each other, it’s the only way they can do it. I think there’d be back-up plans if the same thing would happen for Rotterdam.
I think that will be ecenario C will happen, because despite lift of restrictions that ESC 2021 could have, here are big countries like Australia, Russia, USA which singers and fans will have a difficult time traveling to Europe because the travel restrictions will keep until September – October next year. Also after winter, the cold European climate that favors the spread of the virus Coivd-19 will continue until early April next year.
Singers will be able to obtain permits relatively easily. In Australia, state borders are opening up right now so that’s a hopeful sign.
But Australian goverment have extended their ban aborard travel to their citizens up to Summer 2021 – After ESC 2021!, unless the risk of getting Coronavirus in Netherlands and others European is low. And also depends if Montaigne is Top priority for Australian Goverment to allow her to go to Rotterdam.
USA competing in eurovision, say what?
Yes, haven’t you heard? Joe Biden was selected to represent the country in Rotterdam.
No, but EBU is desperately get them in ESC and licking money of our American fans which they think that are the most rich fans in the planet! XD
I always said scenario B was the most likely and now it looks like it actually will be so. Well, at least scenario D is not an option:)
Given the Pfizer news, it looks like by May we may not have to consider scenario D at least.
It will be a very slow process for that vaccine to roll out though.
That’s true, but the Pfizer news is significant in that it shows that vaccines are viable. Moreover, countries bought stock in multiple vaccines, meaning that they can be rolled out concurrently which would slightly increase the speed.
The EBU should postpone the contest then! Postpone it to Summer or September!
That’s basically impossible. The new Eurovision season starts in September with Junior Eurovision in November and the American Song Contest in December (hopefully). Then there are countries that have to make a decision about participating in both ESC, JESC, states that have to make a decision about participating in ASC (because these countries and states have more things to do instead of only focussing on these contests), and the EBU has to focus on 3 different contests at the same time (even 4 when you count Eurovision Asia as well), because it takes a lot to prepare them. It’s a… Read more »
The American contest doesn’t even exist yet, and if it ever does, the EBU will not be involved with it.
And give the hosts less time to prepare for next year? One year is though enough, six months is even tougher. Not to mention that next year hopefully artists will have schedules, tours and stuff planned. They can’t re-schedule again just to wait for ESC and one week of exposure..
News: 43,538 people took part in the experiment. Some of them were given a real vaccine, while others were given a simulated sample (placebo). The emergence of resistance to the virus took 28 days. After the introduction of the vaccine, 94 test participants became infected with the coronavirus. Note that the Pfizer vaccine has shown effectiveness by more than 90%. However, it only provides temporary protection from COVID-19. For how long, it is not specified yet. If the effectiveness of the vaccine is confirmed at the final stage, Pfizer plans to start its production this year. In 2020, the company… Read more »
Thanks to Robyn and Wiwibloggs. This is very interesting. (Yes, really. It is. I’m not joking this time.)
I still think scenario A is achievable. If they realise that the people most likely to attend are at extremely low risk of COVID. No need for this bubble crap, let people accept risk and move on.
I agree with you! 🙂
Thats not really how it works. You can be low risk, but if you catch the virus you can still transmit it to someone in a high risk group.
That’s an extremely selfish and entitled mindset. This virus has killed thousands of people and changed the lives of countless more. To just turn round and say “lets just accept the risk” is extremely disrespectful to those who have been affected. Eurovision fans, along with fans of almost everything else are just going to have to accept that their hobby will be different until 2022 at least.
I can understand the frustration. However, I believe a yolo approach in this situation can be devastating for hundreds of thousands of people. 26 000 people. Each one of them meet 5 new people gives us 156 000 people. Each one of them meeting five people 676 000 people…. Numbers get up quite fast. Every new contact is a risk of transmission. That is why there is a restriction in audiences. And yes, the feeling of being in a really big audience cannot be described. I remember being one out of 70 000 people at a concert, singing along in… Read more »
Scenario B, here we come!
great!
They should save money for the show, I want to see singers in their country, in whatever location they think should be shown to the world. Why so messy selection of audience? Vaccine will not work, just like there’s no vaccine for hiv/aids.