Eurovision 2021: The Dutch goverment approves the attendance of audience in the Eurovision 2021 shows
With the next Eurovision Song Contest a stone throw away and with the covid-19 pandemic still around, the Dutch goverment approved the presence of a limited audience in the Eurovision 2021 shows.
A limited amount of 3.500 spectators will be allowed to attend the nine shows of the 65th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest in Rotterdam Ahoy.
After a meeting held by the Dutch cabinet of minsters earlier today, the govermant decided to approve the presence of a limited audience during the six rehearsals and the three live shows ( two semi finals and the grand final) and informed the organisers to move on to the implementation of such respecitve plans.
The Eurovsion 2021 Executive Producer, Sietse Bakker says:
“With 180 million viewers from over 45 countries, we will soon be in the international spotlight as a host country. We want to do this carefully and responsibly, so we take pretty strict measures, with health and safety first.
The numbers have been scaled down considerably. Delegations are considerably smaller and most journalists will follow the Eurovision Song Contest from home this year in an online press center. By testing everyone in Ahoy every 48 hours and getting artists to move within our so-called Safe Harbor, we want to keep the corona virus out as much as possible.“
This year’s contest is taking place in Rotterdam as one Fieldlab Events . This is the reserch program supervised by investigator Prof. Dr. Andreas Voss, which aims to seek if the implemented measures due to covid-19 pandemic are good enough for event with the attendance of a bigger number of people.
Strict rules for the audience.
The audience attending the contest will have to comply with strict measures and rules. Namely the list of measures to be enforced includes the following:
- All visitors must be able to present a valid negative test certificate that is no older than 24 hours upon entry.
- In addition, they are asked to undergo a post-test five days after the event. Testing is free via Testing For Access.
- Before leaving home, visitors receive triage questions via a special app. Those who have symptoms associated with COVID-19 are asked to stay at home.
- There is only a seated audience, limiting the number of contact moments. There is no standing audience on the floor this year.
- The public is asked to arrive and leave according to time slots.
- Visitors must wear a face mask while ‘in the loop’ (on their way to their seat, when visiting the toilet, etc).
- There are also a number of terms and conditions attached to the purchase of tickets which must be complied with.
However, the Dutch cabinet will have the whole situation under ongoing evaluation witht he authorities ready to take back their decision for an audience if the pandemic deteriorates. The organisers are in continuous contact with the Dutch authorities keeping on the table the plan for a contest without an audience if things go worse and the goverment eventually decided to forbid an audience.
News Source: Eurovision.tv/ ESCToday
photo: Nathan Reinds -(NPO – NOS – AVROTROS)
