A so-called “test concert” was held in Paris for French new wave band Indochine on Saturday evening in an experiment to see how much France can return to normal amid an improving coronavirus situation. Although attendees had to wear a mask and give proof of a negative Covid-19 test, they did not have to socially distance.
While the 5,000 people enjoyed the gig at Paris’s Bercy arena, 2,500 other volunteers stayed at home to act as the control group to see if Covid-19 spreads among the concert-goers.
The event started at 5 pm in order to finish ahead of France's 9 pm curfew to contain the virus's spread.
The experiment was open to people aged 18-49 without underlying health risks.
A similar experiment in Barcelona in late April showed “no sign” of higher levels of infection among those attending the gig.
France reported 11,268 new Covid-19 infections on Friday – an increase of just 1.2 percent on the previous week; the lowest since the start of the epidemic.
After a slow start throughout the EU, France’s vaccine rollout has accelerated over recent months: 36.41 percent of the population had received at least one dose by May 27, according to Oxford University’s Our World in Data website.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
