As we're all about to learn, the reopening of the world in the era of COVID-19 is going to be no easy feat. This will no doubt prove to be especially true when it comes to large gatherings likes concerts. As a new U.S. opinion poll has found, even if governments were to lift lockdown measures and allow for concerts again, fewer than half of Americans would even want to attend them again until there is a proven coronavirus vaccine.
The results come via a Reuters/Ipsos poll released today, finding fewer than half of U.S. residents plan to go to sports events, concerts, movies and amusement parks when they reopen unless there is a COVID-19 vaccine — something countless experts say is still a long ways off.
The results come based on interviews with 4,429 American adults between April 15 to 21, including individuals who had regularly attended such events in the past. According to the results, only 40 percent said they would return to such activities before a vaccine was found.
Another 40 precent, meanwhile, reported they would rather remain at home and avoid such activities even if it takes more than a year to develop a vaccine. The remaining 20 percent they either "don't know" what to do or may never attend those events again.
Specifically shining a light on concert venues and movie theatres, the poll painted an even grimmer picture. The results showed just 27 percent of those questioned would go to a movie theatre, concert or live theatre performance when venues reopen.
"Just because people say we can go back, until people feel fully safe... they aren't going to go back," said Victor Matheson, a specialist in sports economics at the College of the Holy Cross in Massachusetts, told Reuters. "We go to games for entertainment and you're not going to be very entertained if you're not worrying about who the next player to bat is and instead worrying about that person who just coughed two rows down."
So while countless countless films, tours, festivals and albums have been postponed or cancelled due to COVID-19, our old normal isn't coming back anytime soon — if ever.
The results come via a Reuters/Ipsos poll released today, finding fewer than half of U.S. residents plan to go to sports events, concerts, movies and amusement parks when they reopen unless there is a COVID-19 vaccine — something countless experts say is still a long ways off.
The results come based on interviews with 4,429 American adults between April 15 to 21, including individuals who had regularly attended such events in the past. According to the results, only 40 percent said they would return to such activities before a vaccine was found.
Another 40 precent, meanwhile, reported they would rather remain at home and avoid such activities even if it takes more than a year to develop a vaccine. The remaining 20 percent they either "don't know" what to do or may never attend those events again.
Specifically shining a light on concert venues and movie theatres, the poll painted an even grimmer picture. The results showed just 27 percent of those questioned would go to a movie theatre, concert or live theatre performance when venues reopen.
"Just because people say we can go back, until people feel fully safe... they aren't going to go back," said Victor Matheson, a specialist in sports economics at the College of the Holy Cross in Massachusetts, told Reuters. "We go to games for entertainment and you're not going to be very entertained if you're not worrying about who the next player to bat is and instead worrying about that person who just coughed two rows down."
So while countless countless films, tours, festivals and albums have been postponed or cancelled due to COVID-19, our old normal isn't coming back anytime soon — if ever.
