Corona in England: Festival in the middle of the third wave

The Reading and Leeds Festival is taking place in England this weekend – despite the increasing number of infections with tens of thousands of visitors. The experts are more concerned about the start of the new school year.

England is facing a long weekend. Monday is free. And the first fans have long since arrived in Reading and Leeds for the big festival. Tens of thousands meet to experience Stormzy, Post Malone, Liam Gallagher and dozens of other bands and artists – despite Corona.

The number of infections has long been rising again, and many young people have not yet been vaccinated. But somehow they are tired of continuing to do without. Finally out again, it’s summer.

“There will be an increase anyway”

Melvin Benn, who organizes the festival, says: Of course the numbers will increase because of the festival: “There will be an increase anyway. All young people across the country will be in the park, with friends, there will be barbecues and so on. And outside of the festival, they don’t know whether they’re meeting people who have been tested or not. “

Anyone entering the festival site must submit a test. The requirements of the health department are comprehensive, explains Meradin Peachey from the health department: “We have taken many safety measures. The visitors have to be tested and when they come to the site, they are tested again.”

Fewer patients in the hospital

Concerts have been taking place in Great Britain for several weeks now. Many were designed as an attempt to find out whether major events could take place again. According to the authorities, around 4,500 people were infected at a festival in Cornwall a few days ago.

Overall, the number of infections is currently increasing again. On Friday, the authorities reported around 38,000 new infections. The UK is in the middle of the third wave. But: Currently only about 6,900 people are in hospital because of Corona – significantly fewer than in the second wave.

In Scotland, the numbers are rising again, so much that Prime Minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced that if things continue like this, restrictions will have to be reintroduced. In Scotland, experts attribute the increase mainly to the fact that school has started again.

Debate about vaccination of school children

In Cornwall, the number of infections is also very high – because of the vacationers, say experts. The incidence there is over 800. Russell Viner, professor of paediatrics, however, is calm. He told the BBC: “We have broken the link between illness and death. As a society, we recognize that cases are increasing, but deaths are far less common.”

He thinks festivals like the one in Reading and Leeds are feasible. Experts look primarily at the vaccination rate among adolescents and children, which is still very low. Politicians are debating whether schoolchildren in England should be vaccinated in September when it starts again.

Festival goers can get vaccinated at major events like Reading. A doctor is on site. Anyone who is not drunk can get a vaccination.