Dr. Anthony Fauci Says Live Performance Could Reopen by Fall 2021

On January 9th, Dr. Anthony Fauci said that venues could start doing live performances by “Fall 2021” during a conference hosted by the Association of Performing Arts Professionals. 

Fauci states that this would depend on having the public 70%-85% vaccinated. “If everything goes right, this will occur some time in the Fall of 2021, so that by the time we get to the early to mid-Fall, you can have people feeling safe performing onstage as well as people in the audience,” stated Fauci. 

Although herd immunity may take place by this time, Dr. Fauci still says that venues may need to take safety precautions such as masks. Venues with bad air ventilation systems will be especially required to implement safety measures during live performances. 

During the conference held by the APAP, Dr. Fauci claimed that the live performance industry could use ideas from the airlines companies when it comes to opening back up, and stated that entry to shows could be reliant on showing a negative COVID-19 test before entry. He also cited research from a study in Germany that showed arena performances could be proclaimed “safe” if the arena obtained a good ventilation system along other safety protocols in place.

The live performance industry has lost an estimate of $30 billion dollars over the course of this pandemic and 2020. Workers in the live entertainment industry have been, for the most part, jobless for the majority of the past year. Many workers are relying on this country to figure out a plan of reopening the live performance industry.