Live Events Need A Shot In The Arm

At the beginning of the summer, it looked as though the pandemic was all but over for the live events community: tours were announced, shows reopened, companies began hiring again and the future looked bright. Since then, progress against reducing Covid-19 infections has stalled and some events that were announced with great fanfare are now cancelled. Social distancing and restrictions on large gatherings to halt the spread of the virus were disastrous for our community over the last 18 months, and while studies have found that large organized events are generally safe, (Covid Research: Live Events Are Safer Than Shopping) the best way to return to normal is through comprehensive vaccination.

Industry giants like AEG and Live Nation have already announced that from the beginning of October all staff and ticket holders to their events will need proof of vaccination.  (Live Nation Announce Vaccination Mandates For Live Events)

In addition to getting vaccinated themselves, industry professionals can use the Vax4Live campaign to encourage vaccination among friends and colleagues and combat disinformation about vaccine safety. We all have a duty to protect vulnerable people who cannot get the vaccination, and to give a “shot in the arm” to live events so we can all get back to work.