As BottleRock winds down in Napa Valley, experts are questioning what makes an event a COVID-19 superspreader.
Some large scale events and concerts have had few problems with COVID-19 spread, while others have led to surges in cases. Lollapalooza in Chicago was found to be a safe event while a Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota resulted in a major outbreak.
UCSF Dr. Peter Chin-Hong said it comes down to masking, vaccination rates and indoor versus outdoor venues.
"Probably the most important factor, to tell you the truth, is political will," he told KCBS Radio.
Chin-Hong explained that the event is often dictated by the context of the community around it. "If they’re sympathetic to protecting the community, I think that is a huge factor because the event isn’t only the event," he said. "The event is the pre-event activities and the post-event parties."
Organizers of this weekend’s BottleRock reported that 96% of the 40,000 daily fans showed proof of vaccination, and the remaining 4% tested negative for COVID-19 in the 72 hours before the festival began, putting the event in a strong position.
"All in all, I’m pretty optimistic that BottleRock will remain a safe event and will not spread to the community surrounding it," Chin-Hong assured.
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