[Closed] COVID - How do you feel about going to 'risky' events?

How do you feel about going to ‘risky’ events?

I've started going to the cinema and gigs again. One of the gigs insisted on punters showing proof of Covid jabs or a neg test. The other one didn't. And at that one the band called the crowd in together for a group hug! I stood at the back with my mask on. It's a real mixture at the mo.
Gotta make your own choices regarding this kind of thing.

Less worry over the actual virus, and more reluctant due to not being social much over the last 18 months. Far too anxious to be in a big crowd these days.

I'm thinking on the basis that there's probably more chance of me having a crash/being mugged/run over etc., on the way to a gig as there is of catching Covid and it then being serious.

But because it's been in the headlines none-stop it's hard to put it to the back of your mind. Queuing at a bar on Saturday night felt very weird! 🙂

My first crowded gig is at Rock City in October.

I'm OK about indoor venues like museums, dubious about cinemas (depends on occupancy) and I'm OK about relatively low density outdoor events where I've some control over my exposure. No way would I go to a festival or indoor gig yet.

We went to a festival the other weekend. It wasn't rammed, but certainly a lot of people about and no attempts at distancing. I'm fairly firmly in the "we've got to start just getting back to normal" camp (after getting appropriately vaccinated, which I have done), so I'm comfortable being maskless in shops etc.

Nope. I appreciate the need for "normality" but the current case numbers suggest it's still too much of a risk.

Going through same thing. I'm going to pass, but mainly due to having a fortnight's leave booked after the gig. It would be absolutely typical if I picked a dose up and put the kibosh on my hard earned holiday time. If I was working as normal I'd happily take the risk.

As an organ transplant recipient my partner apparently has a 60% survival rate if she gets covid, even double vaccinated - however we can't just hide inside forever and we have been out to cafes/restaurants/taken kids to soft play etc as long as it's felt fairly spacious and well ventilated.

Indoor gigs with thousands of people would be a step too far for us definitely.

because it’s been in the headlines none-stop it’s hard to put it to the back of your mind

My news avoidance for the past year is paying off then. 🙂

Why do we need to get back to no masks in shops. What's the rush on that front. Surely actually getting things and people moving is the important thing rather than sensible precautions while doing so.

Going to a wedding this weekend. Concerned that the English contingent of my family coming up are vocally anti vax anti mask anti restrictions......

But I'm still going. Will be keeping my distance and using my mask as required.

Interested to know whether this segments into a rural versus urban split. Just arrived home after a few days in Hull seeing family, having come from the sticks in N.Wales. Totally different collective attitude to risk/behaviour. Now waiting for PCR test, enforced by partner!

On OP's qu. Too early for gigs for me, but eating-out was novel and enjoyable. I can deffo understand the "If not now, when?" attitude, but the figures are still are not what they should be IMV.

good timing as I'm puzzling this one myself. "Going" to Riverside Festival next Fri to see Jamie XX mainly. But after hearing about the covid spikes from other gigs lately, Boardmasters in Cornwall especially I'm having second thoughts. Want to get back to normal but also feel this gig is high risk exposure

With 2 people in the family circle in the slow terminal spiral and 2 bike/boozy/party events I'm meant to be at over the next couple of weekends, it feels like too much of risk, I'm double jabbed but catching COVID means I cant visit folks if needed or more importantly If I carried something to someone else I would seriously hasten their demise.

The fact that some absolute knobbers are boozing and then jumping about and hugging like the teletubbies at events at the moment doesn't help either.

So Its a big no for me for risky stuff with lots of people for the foreseeable and to be honest I dont feel like I'm going to be missing out.

This sums up why I won't be.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-58309660

Boardmasters in Cornwall especially

Though TBF that will mainly have been 14 year olds snorting ketamine off each others eyeballs.

Yes, also wrestling with this one. The cases associated with Boardmasters seemed to indicate a 10% hit rate ! But does it really matter if you're (relatively) young, healthy and vaccinated? It would be useful if there was some decent data on outcomes, not just hospitalisation. Gut-feel says being cautious for a while longer to see how things pan out isn't a bad idea, but who knows, can't live in a cave forever.

I wouldn't, gigs and festivals are probably the most high risk thing you can do at the moment, even cinemas and theatres will be safer, less moving around so unless you are unlucky enough to sit close to someone with it the chances are lower of becoming infected. Bit of an over generalisation but gigs have the least precautions, high levels of interaction, a younger population less likely to have been vaxxed and more likely to have caught through lifestyle choices.

I'm beginning to wonder if masks are needed in shops, you generally don't stay close to anyone for that long in most shops so chance of transmission is fairly low. Public transport, sit down events I can see the point, but only if a significant number of others are. London last week was interesting, a little out of the tourist hotspots and mask wearing seemed around 70%, in the touristy bits it was a lot lower, and that was British tourists.

I dont get the not wearing a mask in the shop so we can get back to normal. This is normal for now. You're not being prevented from shopping/contributing to the economy by wearing a mask. And if we all did there would be less cases.

I'm giving it another year before events indoors etc. I can do without catching Covid tbh. 2 weeks isolation for going out on a social. No. worst hangover ever

All my mates went to the euro 2020 final and everyone in the bar got infected, probably from one person. All my friends were vaccinated. Most of them were fine. one hospitalised due to diabetes complications and another is still feeling shit.

Cases were less or similar. It only takes one person.

But if you go get a free lat flow test to take before and the next day

The cases associated with Boardmasters seemed to indicate a 10% hit rate ! But does it really matter if you’re (relatively) young, healthy and vaccinated?

It matters if the community you return to after your fun weekend isn't universally young, healthy and vaccinated. Delta is a huge step up in transmissibility and the earliest recipients of vaccination are well down the curve for protection by now and also the most at risk of getting it seriously.

We were in Brum to see Jimmy Carr last night. Coming from semi rural Herefordshire it was weird being in a close environment with lots of people again. I couldn't get over how many people weren't wearing masks though, we were the exception with ours on.

I want to go to events and get out to see what the new normal is going to be, but i think there are too many people who are too quick to forget the last 18 months and go back to 'normal' (hint: it doesn't exist any more). I wont be rushing to another indoor event, but i'm happy to go to outdoor shows/ events with more space, maybe not a festival this year.

I’m thinking on the basis that there’s probably more chance of me having a crash/being mugged/run over etc., on the way to a gig as there is of catching Covid

I don't recall reading about 4700 car crashes on the way to Boardmasters.

But does it really matter if you’re (relatively) young, healthy and vaccinated?

It matters if the community you return to after your fun weekend isn’t universally young, healthy and vaccinated.

This. We talk about the young as if they are a discrete section of society but they aren't. They live among us, go to the same shops (well, some of) go and visit our elderly parents with us, and like a web can ensure that the virus continues to move around and find the susceptible. And as vaccine effectiveness wanes, that situation becomes troublesome again.

I have a ticket for Tailenders live in October at the symphony hall in Brum, I won’t be going. I was also considering going to Scotland next month on holiday but won’t be going up there either.

I’m seeing a majority of people just not bothering to take any precautions at all, no masks, no social distancing etc, the virus is still out there and I’m not having some numpty potentially kill me due to their stupidity.

I'm a bit immune compromised (diabetic), double vaxxed, and tbh yeah it's in my mind a bit but not enough to put me off or stop me enjoying events. First gig "back" is Biffy in Glasgow, I'm going to come home with about a thousand different people's sweat on me. It's outdoors at least. There's a testing requirement but I'm not sure how much that's really worth...

But overall I live a pretty low-covid-risk life. I'd definitely feel different if my mum or dad were still around, they were both seriously vulnerable to it.

I don’t recall reading about 4700 car crashes on the way to Boardmasters.

@theotherjonv

Neither do I.

But then neither do I recall that being the same implication as the whole sentence if you'd quoted it less selectively.

I actually checked the numbers and very crudely someone under 30 is about 50x more likely to die of COVID caught at Boardmasters than be in a KSI car accident on any random day (although that makes no account for driving down with a car full of mates and driving back with the same, no sleep, and a rotten hangover). So it's probably actually pretty close.

Going to a festival next weekend. I'm not concerned because:

It's either outside or else in a very very big tent

We stand at the back away from people anyway because we are old

Been vaxed

Don't have a lot of contact with people before/after (both home working)

But does it really matter if you’re (relatively) young, healthy and vaccinated?

I am relatively young, healthy and vaccinated. I also know that when I got COVID last time, I was in a pretty bad way. Latest worry is that as an early adopter of vaccine, mine is now nearly 9 months old and the news today seems to suggest that my vaccine is now probably beyond its best.

Talking it though here has helped, I don't think I'll go.

I had tickets for a gig tonight but sold them this morning. Venue has a capacity of 1,000, a relatively low ceiling and little ventilation. I was excited to see the band, but less so standing at the back in a mask rather than in the mosh pit at the front. I decided it wasn't worth the risk of having to spend 10 days at home. Increasingly it is this - the risk of having to isolate - that is of greater concern than catching Covid.

Me and a mate are meant to be seeing Half Man Half Biscuit at the Rescue Rooms, thankfully they have postponed it to next year, so we might still go 🙂

I don't tolerate a***holes very well at the best of times, but hopefully there won't be any at a HMHB gig, much as there were none at the last gig I went to (Atilla the Stockbroker since you asked).

Selective gigging, that's what will save us.

All my mates went to the euro 2020 final and everyone in the bar got infected, probably from one person. All my friends were vaccinated. Most of them were fine. one hospitalised due to diabetes complications and another is still feeling shit

@joefm how many of your mates was that then? In the absence of any proper data anecdotal stuff is seemingly all we have to go on!

The weekend before last we went out for a beer in a (small) pub in the city and the following day went to a toddlers birthday bash.

It was nice to be out and about for the first time in A Very Long Time. We still came down with a bad cold a couple of days later, despite hand washing/alcohol gel/masks - self test and drive by test both came back negative for COVID.

Whilst it was nice to feel back to normal for a brief period, think I’m going to continue to shun public crowds in general ‘til next summer.

But then neither do I recall that being the same implication as the whole sentence if you’d quoted it less selectively.

Point was that catching covid at a festival is far from a rare chance. 10% suggested above but that'll be ott because Boardmasters is not a site based festival, there will have been more that 50K in Newquay that weekend and there will have been town to Festival interaction and transmission.

And as already said the risk is not the infected person dying, but catching it. And then passing on to someone who is susceptible. Or they pass it on, and so on. Using the likelihood of death of the festival or gig goer as the decision point totally misses the question.

We still came down with a bad cold a couple of days later, despite hand washing/alcohol gel/masks

This is going to be a (sort of) bigger deal for a while; the transmission of 'normal' infections as people start to mingle again.

I’m beginning to wonder if masks are needed in shops, you generally don’t stay close to anyone for that long in most shops so chance of transmission is fairly low.

Think it can be as quick as 15 seconds with the Delta variant

I play in a band in Manchester and our singer also promotes stuff. Hes putting on an event on Saturday that we are due to play. It was originally planned for pre covid times. I'm nervous about playing it but don't want to let a mate down (a couple of bands have already pulled out). So i'll be arriving just before we are due on and leaving as soon as we finish. Its an "evidence of 2 jabs" thing but i still don't trust it.

We've only rehearsed once since lockdown due to restrictions and other stuff so we'll probably be utterly crap too.

Ugh!

personally, more than happy, taken the vaccine, tests for work and travel so ive a good idea at any point what sort of risk i am to friends/family.

masks in shops is not "back to normal" - it may be what 'you' are comfortable with but any benefit is calculated and essentially unproven. If you think a shop is risky, maybe just stay on the sofa and support amazon.
Delta Variant contagion in 15secs - love to see where you got that from... outdoors, indoors, symptomatic, ventilated, mask quality, distance etc etc.

masks in shops stop folk constantly touching their face then picking up the baked beans that you pick up later that day, and also touch your face...

I’ve got quite a few gigs lined up from September through December. Daft Punk classical at Manchester Cathedral and Nick Cave at the Bridgwater Hall. They should be fairly ok with been seated. Jesus and Mary Chain and Wedding Present at the Ritz will be a bit different hopefully we’ll have more folk vaccinated and vaccine passes by then. They work great here in France. Im not worried about COVID other than I don’t want it in the same way I don’t want flu and end up been sick for a few weeks.

I play in a band in Manchester and our singer also promotes stuff. Hes putting on an event on Saturday that we are due to play. It was originally planned for pre covid times. I’m nervous about playing it but don’t want to let a mate down (a couple of bands have already pulled out). So i’ll be arriving just before we are due on and leaving as soon as we finish. Its an “evidence of 2 jabs” thing but i still don’t trust it.

I did our first gig back a few weeks ago - very nervous about being in a hot, sweaty pub and the obvious flouting of any restrictions by the punters (and some of the staff!).

We did another one the following week which was outdoors - much happier about that, and the same again this weekend - a decent crowd expected (500+) but all outdoors.

we’ll have more folk vaccinated and vaccine passes by then

We don't, and won't, have vaccine passes. Anything that is in place is purely voluntary.

I've got a weekend meet up in Leeds early September which basically always turns into a massive pub crawl into the early hours. I'm not going as it's too risky to my liver, let alone COVID.

@soobalias - comes from analysis of delta transmission in Australia where cases (were) lower and so easier to track actual transmission events

https://www.forbes.com/sites/williamhaseltine/2021/06/28/infection-through-fleeting-contact-with-the-delta-variant-leads-to-lockdowns-across-australia/?sh=7d653e015d4f

Answers on this thread go someway to explaining why the gigs that are being arranged are so cheap. (Eg. Wolf Alice @£15 + 1 free - I failed in my bid to get a ticket for that one). Bands need to earn their living again, so putting on low-price gigs to those prepared to take the risk gets them a bit of income, as well as practice playing live again/doing what they love.

Just come back from the Edinburgh Fringe.

Most shows tried to seat people a metre apart. Masks were technically compulsory, though many ignored that, but most shows felt pretty safe, and I'm very anxious about Covid - you may gave noticed!

One gig was in the basement of a pub. No ventilation, 50-60 people shoulder to shoulder, many without masks. That gig made me twitchy, but 5 days on, LFTs still negative and no symptoms. Ben Clover was very good though.

Well I caught COVID at a festival last month. Tramlines in Sheffield. Supposedly neg lft or double vac needed to attend but the checking of qr codes left a lot to be desired. Of course it may have been the bus queue after or the bus itself we got on Friday night. Not many masks on the bus.
I’m double vaxxed but nearly a year since my second dose as in the trial.
Felt shit for 2 1/2 weeks after but back to normal now I think.
Also meant I missed a lovely eggs gig on 29th July. At least it didn’t put me in hospital, and now my antibody levels are topped up I felt super confident at green man last weekend. The 5 other 50 somethings I was with were more nervous than me so I happily did the bar queuing. It was so good to be able to be right at the front for working men’s club in the tent last Thursday. That is a feeling I’ve missed.
The others are doing lfts every 2 days this week and negative so far. I got symptoms on the Wednesday following tramlines. I’ve got another gig on 4th sept- rescheduled twice since the original March 2020 date. So far all 5 of us with tickets are happy to go. It’s a sit down, city hall type gig but I’m not sure if extra social distancing in place.