The way forward for music festivals has been given a lift after the primary speedy testing programme was formally introduced.
Designed particularly for the occasions business along side Swallow Events, the speedy 15-minute flip round check is the primary to be accepted by Public Well being England.
Oli Thomas, founder and managing director of Swallow Occasions stated: “The occasions business has been forgotten and devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We’re very proud to announce we’re the primary occasions firm within the UK to supply an on-site speedy testing service for COVID-19 in as little as quarter-hour, which, we imagine, is an entire game-changer.
Coronavirus Take a look at Equipment Credit score: Press
“Our speedy testing kits – a market chief (which meets MHRA goal product profile with sensitivity: 96,52% & specificity: 99,68%) used along side monitor and hint data-collection and different Covid safe protocols akin to contact level and temperature checks will assist occasion organisers in all sectors from massive scale festivals, live shows, stadia, enterprise conferences and commerce reveals by to agricultural reveals and small boutique festivals.
“It would kick begin a £39.1 billion contributing sector to the UK’s economic system while serving to to guard over 570,000 full-time jobs that are quickly disappearing.”
It comes after Glastonbury founder Michael Eavis beforehand stated that “massive testing arrangements” may very well be put in place at subsequent yr’s Glastonbury Festival.
Eavis’ feedback on mass testing echoed these made just lately by Reading & Leeds boss Melvin Benn, who told NME that he was confident that, in regards to R&L 2021, “we don’t need a vaccination as a result of we are able to work by the issue with a very good testing regime”.
Earlier this week, Health Secretary Matt Hancock also spoke of rolling out a vaccination programme in the coming months after the results of a large-scale trial of a COVID-19 vaccine, suggesting that life will start to return to regular after Easter 2021.
If profitable, the immunisation programme may probably pave the way in which for a full summer season of music festivals – together with Glastonbury & Reading & Leeds.
