Covid-Chella
Goldenvoice, the company that hosts popular annual music festivals such as Coachella and Stagecoach, announced in August that they would require attendees of the 2022 festivals to have proof of vaccination as of Oct. 1, but they changed this policy on Oct. 12 (Rolling Stone). Attendees may now provide a negative coronavirus (COVID-19) test taken within 72 hours of the event they are attending instead of proof of vaccination, likely leading to a large number of unvaccinated people going to events. Although Goldenvoice has rescinded their previous vaccine mandate, the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) clearly states that the unvaccinated population should still avoid crowded areas to better prevent chances of COVID-19 transmission. Goldenvoice’s decision sets a precedent for future events to be an unsafe environment for unvaccinated people, as they may harm others or themselves by transmitting the virus. With a total of 83,000 new cases daily in the U.S., events that attract many people are likely to spread COVID-19, and will only worsen the already-high number of cases. Music festivals without steadfast vaccine mandates are disregarding the severity of the pandemic; event coordinators should recognize that getting vaccinated is essential to public safety.
“I think there should be a vaccine mandate for Coachella,” freshman Jocelyn Grimme said. “Considering the amount of [close contact] interactions [at festivals], there is definitely a high chance of spreading COVID-19.”
A poll from the Associated Press National Opinion Research Center for Public Affairs Research shows that 79 percent of vaccinated people want vaccine mandates for concerts and would be likely to avoid events without vaccine mandates. As this faction is now unlikely to attend Goldenvoice’s events, the majority of partygoers will likely be unvaccinated. This decreases herd immunity, which is when a majority of people in a community have higher immunity from the vaccine or from having antibodies due to previously having COVID-19.
Furthermore, though the option to supply proof of a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours may seem like a viable alternative, it does not prove that partygoers do not have COVID-19 upon attending the event, as there are many opportunities for exposure within such a large amount of time. Goldenvoice originally did not require vaccines for their festivals, thus when they changed the policy they offered refunds to the many upset, unvaccinated customers. It is speculated that this backlash led them to reverse this mandate; after all, at its core, the business organizes festivals and must generate revenue, no matter what the cost is to public safety. With this in mind, potential customers should consider the CDC’s guidelines, state and local governments, and decide whether they will feel safe attending an event where partygoers may spread COVID-19. Though it is largely accepted that vaccine mandates are necessary to end the pandemic, some factions still believe there are cases where it is unfair to block the unvaccinated from attending events.
“It is a gray area for me,” senior Bella D’Ambrosi said. “I would feel unsafe going to a festival where people may have COVID-19, but it is also unfair [to prohibit unvaccinated customers from attending] who cannot or choose not to get vaccinated for reasons such as age, medical conditions or not having [parental] permission.”
Some opposed to the vaccine mandate argue that they are simply exercising their constitutional right to make decisions about their lives, but “exercising your rights” should not extend to harming others. According to the CDC, the COVID-19 vaccine has an efficiency of 95 percent, and not getting vaccinated increases the chances of endangering other people’s health. Getting the COVID-19 vaccination is every individual’s own choice, but if they choose not to, they should accept the consequences of not being able to attend large festivals.
Due to a new ordinance approved by the LA City Council on Oct. 6 requiring proof of vaccination against COVID-19 to enter indoor restaurants and other indoor venues, many businesses are already mandating vaccines; yet music festivals with more than 250,000 attendees have not done so. In addition to this, the large crowds of people in close proximity at Coachella and Stagecoach make it difficult to follow social distancing guidelines and regulate the spread. Though some feel that vaccine mandates are a violation of their personal freedoms, the choice to be unvaccinated carries the potential to harm others, so vaccine mandates should not be considered a tool to exclude people from attending events, but rather one to create spaces with the highest amount of COVID-19 protection that prioritizes everyone’s safety.
“I think it is fair to have a vaccine mandate because most people are unvaccinated due to [personal beliefs] instead of medical reasons,” freshman Stella Schwab said. “The [COVID-19 vaccine] mandate would make me feel safer, and it would hopefully encourage others to get vaccinated too.
