More than 6200 people participated in the previous six field labs. 41 of them tested positive asymptomatically beforehand, meaning that they had contracted a corona infection but showed no symptoms. They were not allowed to participate in the event.
Afterwards, five people were tested positive, says medical microbiologist Andreas Voss, lead researcher of the Fieldlab program. It is difficult to say whether those five were contaminated during one of the fieldlab events, according to the researcher. According to him, it is also conceivable that the participants were infected at home afterwards, for example by housemates.
Voss is positive about the results so far. According to the researcher, pre-testing is therefore crucial when society will soon be more open again. “It gives us the opportunity to make more possible even before everyone in the Netherlands has been vaccinated.”
Festivals riskier
According to Voss, with pre-testing in the summer it should be possible to organize concerts, theater and cinema visits on a limited scale with certain measures. “If the numbers are going down again and the threat of the third wave is less, then this should certainly be possible safely.”
Voss is a bit more skeptical about festivals; the investigation has yet to show whether this is safely possible. A festival, says Voss, is more risky because of the large number of movements and contact moments. After all, more contact moments mean a greater chance of contamination. On the other hand, according to the researcher, it does help that festivals are often outside and there is therefore a lot of ventilation.
Previously, it was tested during two concerts in the Ziggo Dome, a theater performance by Guido Weijers, a conference and at football matches. The researchers expect to publish the results in three weeks.
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