Spectacular Scenes In Stadia, But Some Concerns Remain
Experts Warn Of Covid Risk After Huge Premier League Crowds On UK’s Busiest Weekend Since Lockdown
Just over 1.7 million people in the UK attended football stadiums, festivals, music gigs and the theatre this weekend, with the return of the Premier League bringing with it some mesmerising excitement in stadia, fantastic noise and normality restored for huge numbers of fans, with huge boosts to the local economies around grounds up and down the country. However, experts warn of the Covid risks, that some feel the Government has just abandoned the general public by making safety an “individual problem”.
Alongside almost 400,000 fans at this season’s opening Premier League matches, up to a further 850,000 people went to football matches in England, Scotland and Wales, while around 150,000 were expected at major cricket matches in Nottingham and London. There were also around 300,000 people attending music and arts festivals, including 53,000 young people at the Boardmasters events in Newquay, Cornwall.
It is expected that the Government plans to enforce Covid status checks on mass gatherings from October 1st, but currently there is no legal requirement for venues to do so at present, with experts at Independent Sage claiming that huge harm could already be caused. In the main, scientific experts are less concerned with the virus spreading significantly via outdoor events, but it is the travelling at close quarters of huge numbers that they feel would be a breeding ground for Covid and mutant strains. However, the pilot schemes carried out within stadia and large events themselves proved very successful, with very low numbers of positive cases attributed to fans returning to stadia, with experts confirming they are more concerned with smaller family events than mass gatherings outside or indeed in stadiums themselves.
Currently only Chelsea and Everton in the Premier League have confirmed they will insist on proof of a double vaccination or a negative Covid test before allowing fans to enter this weekend. The other eight Premier League clubs with home ties will either implement random spot-checks or not have any checks in place. 75,000 fans packed into Old Trafford on Saturday to witness Manchester United beating rivals Leeds, with no Covid status checks at turnstiles and entry points around the ground. It was a similar story at the 30,000-capacity Lord’s cricket ground, where England took on India over the weekend, as fans were not checked for their Covid-status.
However, away from sporting venues, some Covid-status checks were in place, with the 53,000 music fans attending Boardmasters in Newquay at the weekend required to show proof of vaccination or a negative test before gaining entry.
It remains to be seen how positive cases of Covid will be affected by the incredible turnouts at stadiums this weekend, but the previous indications from the football league fixtures, pilot tests and Euro Championships at Wembley would suggest the vaccination drive is succeeding in assisting in the much-needed return to some of our most treasured sporting events for many.
