FOREWORD
A year ago, the world plunged into an unprecedented public health emergency with COVID-19. On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 to be a global pandemic. Fast forward to March 2021, multiple vaccines have been approved for use in Canada (4 as of time of writing). While uncomfortable, most people have adjusted to the lockdown/stay home safe lives lifestyle.
As noted in the previous editions of EMMS, Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan and Spain have successfully hosted music festivals. In the United Kingdom, festival organizers are pushing the government to restrict access to music festivals for those who can prove their vaccination status. As vaccination rates continue to go up, could the traditional summer event season be salvaged? One music festival in the US resorted to asking their guests to sign a COVID-19 liability waiver before attending.
COVID Resources
Critical Care for the Non-ICU Clinician (Society of Critical Care Medicine)
https://covid19.sccm.org/nonicu/index.asp
COVID-19 Drug Interactions (University of Liverpool)
https://www.covid19-druginteractions.org
GeriMedRisk COVID-19 Drug Table
https://www.gerimedrisk.com/covid-19-drug-table.htm
New tools find COVID patients at highest risk of mechanical ventilation and death
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2021-02/mgh-ntf022621.php
Annals of Internal Medicine COVID-19 collection
https://www.acpjournals.org/topic/category/coronavirus
Mass gathering
Multiple large music festivals such as the CMA Fest (US), The Great Escape Festival (UK) have announced cancellation, while others continue to hold on to hope that the event will continue.
The Minister of Health in BC has indicated to the public attending music festivals in the summer will likely not happen.
Elsewhere, the issue of COVID-19 “passport” is being discussed for travel purposes in some jurisdictions. If people have to prove vaccination status before crossing borders, could it lead to ultimately a freedom passport? What are some of the challenges that are bound to come up?
UK looks at rapid testing to allow return of mass gatherings
https://www.ft.com/content/9b093755-3119-46ef-b5f7-f979a31e1461
Dutch festivals reschedule en masse for September
https://www.iq-mag.net/2021/02/dutch-festivals-reschedule-en-masse-september/
Live Nation CEO Believes U.S. Music Festivals Could Potentially Resume by ‘Mid-Summer’
https://www.complex.com/music/live-nation-ceo-believes-us-music-festivals-could-potentially-resume-by-mid-summer
Reopened festivals and stadiums in England could be used for mass Covid testing
TV/Film Industry
The TV/film industry is relying on private COVID-19 testing to keep the production moving forward. What are the challenges with private testing and are there benefits to the population at large?
COVID supervisors on the challenges of trying to keep Canadian film and TV sets safe
https://www.cp24.com/entertainment-news/covid-supervisors-on-the-challenges-of-trying-to-keep-canadian-film-and-tv-sets-safe-1.5301302
New B.C. lab delivers thousands of rapid COVID tests to keep film industry rolling
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/rapid-covid-19-test-keep-film-industry-rolling-1.5915646
Prices for private COVID-19 tests can range from $160 to $1,200, with little oversight of the industry
https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/covid19-testing-pcr-antigen-1.5905308
COVID-19 testing, as the film industry does, could be good for all business
https://www.abc4.com/news/digital-exclusives/covid-19-testing-as-the-film-industry-does-could-be-good-for-all-business/
Photo Credits
Photo by Waldemar Brandt on Unsplash
Photo by Mufid Majnun on Unsplash
Photo by Myriam Zilles on Unsplash
Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash
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Photo by Marcelo Leal on Unsplash
Photo by Craig Whitehead on Unsplash
Photo by Andre Benz on Unsplash
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Photo by Science in HD on Unsplash
Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash
Photo by Sam Moqadam on Unsplash