The gradual return of spectators and guests: An integrated approach for culture and sport
- 20 renowned experts and scientists from a variety of disciplines have developed a joint modular concept with the aim of allowing the controlled return of spectators and guests to events.
- Nationwide support from more than 40 leading institutions and organisations from the fields of culture and sport
- An extensive and differentiated basic concept could initially enable 25 to 40 per cent of total capacity at the venues to be used – other measures, including specialist medical hygiene concepts and comprehensive testing strategies could allow even more guests and spectators
22 February 2021 – A broad initiative involving experts and scientists as well as the cultural and sports sector has submitted a comprehensive concept that could allow spectators and guests to take part in cultural and sporting events again with the implementation of strict hygiene and infection control measures. With this concept, the roughly 20 scientists and experts as well as more than 40 cultural and sports institutions who have been involved present for the first time a cross-sector, data-based approach and thus a differentiated contribution to the discussion on appropriate paths out of the lockdown. The concept has been produced with the assistance of distinguished experts from the specialist fields of infectious disease and virology, ventilation technology, health economics, sports medicine and culture as well as law, among others.
Comprehensive and differentiated package of measures allows controlled opening
The approach present various models both indoor and for outdoor events. They each build on a basic concept and, by implementing other steps, can be expanded to gradually increase the number of spectators and guests at each event.
Basic concept:
- Indoors: Key points for events in closed settings include the development of a hygiene and infection protection concept, total utilisation of a maximum of 25–30 per cent of capacity in order to comply with the general social distancing rules, personal tickets for contact management, a continual mask mandate, a ban on the consumption of alcoholic beverages at events hosting more than 1,000 visitors and a dedicated concept for the arrival and departure of spectators and guests.
- Outdoors: For events in the open air, the concept assumes a potential utilisation of 35 to 40 per cent of capacity when comparable measures are implemented. For amateur and recreational sport, the authors additionally propose a “low cap”, which provides for special arrangements at events that have sufficient space. If the mask mandate and extended social distancing are complied with and contact management is implemented using technical solutions such as apps, personal tickets could be made unnecessary in this area.
The basic concept furthermore envisages specific seating arrangements that guarantee compliance with the minimum distancing rules both for events in closed settings and for open air events. The basic concept can be implemented with reasonable effort and limited financial resources by each venue while developing a hygiene concept. This could also enable a pragmatic path back to regulated performance and match operations in particular for smaller facilities in the cultural and sports sector.
- Specialist medical hygiene concepts: A higher number of spectators – extending beyond the basic concept – is also feasible at indoor venues with large spaces and modern ventilation technology as well as at outdoor events. The authors recommend a specialist medical hygiene concept as a uniform standard in order to further increase the utilisation of capacity.
- “Maximum model” with testing strategy: Based on new diagnostic options, the expansion of the possibility of going to events should be implemented – up to and including the potential full utilisation of capacity at operas, concerts and sporting events. For this purpose, the cultural and sports sectors among others could provide spectators and guests with an antigen test at the venue as well as promote digital portals to support contact management.
Supporting organisations and institutions:
Contributors in the group of authors include:
Marcel Altenburg, MSc MA, Prof. Lutz Fritsche, Prof. Barbara Gärtner, Dr Florian Kainzinger, Prof. Martin Kriegel, Prof. Tim Meyer, Prof. Peter Raue, Prof. Wolfgang Schade, Dr Georg-Christian Zinn
The concept can be downloaded here: