According to data gathered by the United Kingdom government's Event Research Programme, mass gatherings and events without COVID-19 safety measures—like social distancing and face coverings—are no riskier than retail shopping or eating at a restaurant.
Pilot events were held in Liverpool over the May Bank Holiday weekend without those safety regulations in place. Additional events like the FA Cup final and the 2021 BRIT Awards took place, with admission granted only to those with negative COVID-19 test results.
A large crowd at a Fabric London event.
Fabric London
“We are still waiting for the final bits of data but the results so far have been very encouraging," a government representative told The Times.
Recommended Articles
Watch Platinum-Certified Rapper Masked Wolf Drop Unreleased Collab With Tiësto
Tiësto has teamed up with the man behind "Astronaut in the Ocean," one of 2021's biggest sleeper hits, for a brand new collab.
Here Are the Lost Lands 2021 Set Times and Day-to-Day Schedules
Performances from Excision, Getter, Rusko, and Virtual Riot are among countless can't-miss sets from Lost Lands 2021.
Porter Robinson Highlights Anthony Fantano's Infamous "Worlds" Album Review During Festival Set
Anthony Fantano has published hundreds of album reviews, but few have driven the controversy compared to his take on Porter Robinson's debut.
“It will help make the case that these large events are not inherently more risky than other parts of the hospitality sector. It shows that there are things that you can do to make these settings as safe as other daily activities.”
Among those safety measures that can be taken: better ventilation and, of course, screening for COVID test results, as in all of the May Bank Holiday weekend events.
While the study's results are promising, the imminent future of large-scale gatherings and events in the UK remains uncertain.
