Lollapalooza, a famous music festival held in Chicago in late July, is suspected of causing at least 203 COVID-19 cases to be reported this week.
“There is no accident here,” the Commissioner of the Department of Public Health, Dr. Allison Arwady, said at a press conference on Thursday.
“There is no sign of a’super spreader incident’, but apparently thousands of people participated in Lollapalooza, and we expect to see some cases.”
The festival lasted for four days and attracted approximately 385,000 people to Grant Park in downtown Chicago.
After it was cancelled last year due to the pandemic, it is questionable whether the event should be held in 2021. Mayor Lori Lightfoot supports the decision to allow the event if some security protocols are in place.
To enter the festival, one must present a vaccination certificate or a recent negative test for COVID-19. City officials confirmed that 90% of festival spectators were vaccinated.
The video and pictures captured the concert audience without masks in crowded conditions.
City officials said 138 of these cases were from residents of Illinois outside of Chicago, 58 were from the city, and 7 were from outside the state.
80% of people who test positive are under 30.
Arwady said 13 of the positive cases indicated that they tested positive on or after the onset of symptoms, which means they may have been infected.
Although she insists, “If we see a surge at this time, we will see a surge.”
Top Chicago doctors provide COVID updates to discuss cases related to Lollapalooza https://t.co/mFXQgEukG8
— NBC Chicago (@nbcchicago) August 12, 2021
So far, there are approximately 200 COVID-19 cases related to Lollapalooza, but top doctors in Chicago stated that there is no indication that it is a “super spreader.”https://t.co/XgJuyyrfTd
— Chicago Tribune (@chicagotribune) August 12, 2021
