Research has confirmed that that the trial events organised in Liverpool earlier this year did not cause a significant spread of the virus. Indeed, more than 13,000 attended the two nightclubs events, and data shows that only eleven people tested positive for COVID-19. However, only half of the attendees send a PCR test as required after the event.

Liverpool public health director Matt Asthon defined the result as ‘undoubtedly a success’: ‘definitely groups of people who were infected afterwards’, but the people ‘were known to each other, so it is also possible that those people got it after the events’. Professor Ian Buchan from the University of Liverpool, who assessed the pilots, stated: ‘timely data and quick action to trace and test contacts of people testing positive, both before and after events, was key to containing potential outbreaks.’

Moreover, attendees did not practice social distancing or wore face masks and were encouraged to take both PCR and a lateral flow test the day of the event and five days later. As these events could encourage a faster and more secure approach to events, Asthon said the reopening of the entertainment industry is ‘incredibly complex and difficult’ but also ‘incredibly important’. He said the data showed lateral flow tests ‘will be a key part of the jigsaw’ but ‘really close working’ between event promoters, local public health teams ‘and a range of partners’ will also be central to making sure events run safely.

Both events included five people unable to attend because of a positive test, four identified positive at an event and seven tested positive four to seven days after the event. Unfortunately, the events saw individually between 25% and 43% of attendees returning the lab a PCR test. The government is planning to gather more data after 10,000 fans will be gathered at Download Festival from June 18th to June 20th.