In what could be a promising sign for festivals still to come in 2021 and beyond, the COVID-19 numbers coming out of the Chicago area since Lollapalooza drew hundreds of thousands of people to Grant Park further drive home the importance of safety-minded vaccination policies.
Dr. Allison Arwady, Chicago’s Public Health Commissioner, said Thursday that there is currently “no evidence” of the four-day festival having become a super-spreader event. Per Dr. Arwady, roughly 90 percent of the estimated 385,000 attendees were vaccinated. Just .04 percent of vaccinated attendees have reported a positive COVID-19 test since the festival wrapped. As of Aug. 11, there were also zero reports of hospitalizations or deaths.
“As of now, there is a total of 203 cases identified with attendance at [Lollapalooza] and symptom onset (or if asymptomatic, test date) on or after attendance,” Dr. Arwady said on Twitter. “58 were Chicago residents, 138 were non-Chicago Illinois residents, and 7 out of state residents.”
See more of Dr. Arwady’s assessment of the Lollapalooza stats below:
The 2021 edition of Lollapalooza featured performers including Playboi Carti, Tyler, the Creator, Megan Thee Stallion, Post Malone, Angels & Airwaves, Limp Bizkit, and more. Attendees were required to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test.
In recent days, artists and live event companies alike have stepped up with similar policies of their own. Most notable is this week’s announcement from AEG Presents, the parent company behind Coachella and other festivals, of a potentially industry-encouraging policy requiring proof of vaccination for entry. In other words, negative COVID-19 tests will not suffice in the place of vaccination proof for all AEG-operated spaces.
Hopefully, such policies will work toward boosting the nationwide vaccination rate.
