Due to the coronavirus pandemic, many Americans are now avoiding concerts, and other live events until a vaccine against COVID-19 is available.
The Poll
According to an opinion poll by Reuters/Ipsos four out of ten enthusiasts of sports, arts, entertainment, and amusement parks would visit again venues related to their interest once these places reopen before a vaccine is made available.
Some other 40% are willing to wait until a vaccine is developed, while the rest are either uncertain of what to do or may never attend such events ever again.
In the same poll, 55% of the respondents said these events must not resume until a vaccine is available.
The poll surveyed 4,429 American adults from April 15 to 21 and asked about their previous attendance in a live event and their interest in reopening before a vaccine is available.
Reactions to the Poll
Victor Matheson, a sports economics specialist at the College of the Holy Cross, said that "Just because people say we can go back until people feel fully safe ... they aren't going to go back. We go to games for entertainment, and you're not going to be very entertained if you're not worrying about who the next player to bat is and instead of worrying about that person who just coughed two rows down," he said.
Owners of music venues recognize the hesitant sentiment of the public when it comes to concerts. The National Independent Venue Association called Congress to offset their losses due to the pandemic. Reuters added that as there are 100 potential vaccines in development worldwide, scientists are projecting that one of the vaccines can take 18 months before being introduced to the market.
Effects on the Entertainment Industry
Ana Morales, a resident of Bristow, Virginia, said that she does not plan to go to a theater or a summer country music series until a vaccine is in place. She is afraid of spreading coronavirus to her in-laws, who are over 60 years old. She also said that shared surfaces like seats are not cleaned, even social distancing was implemented.
Hollywood is hoping, according to Reuters, that movie theaters could reopen partially in July to bring back some of the losses they incurred due to the pandemic. Walt Disney's "Mulan" and Warner Bros' "Wonder Woman 1984" are still scheduled to release in July and August.
Concerts and music festivals were also postponed or canceled in 202 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Some of the concerts that were canceled or rescheduled were Coachella, Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift, and Rolling Stones. Coachella moved their event from April to October in the hope that the worst of the pandemic will be over by that time.
Reuters reported that the United States is now leading in the number of cases of COVID-19. Worldometers and Johns Hopkins University confirmed that the U.S. has now reached the 1 million mark with more than 59,000 deaths and 142,000 recoveries. Worldwide, there are now 3.14 million cases with 218,386 deaths and 962,809 recoveries.
