No Concerts In California Until COVID-19 Theraputics Available, According To Governor Newsom

California governor Gavin Newsom has previously said it will be a long time until we see concerts in the State again. “The prospect of mass gatherings is negligible at best until we get to herd immunity and we get to a vaccine,” he said a few weeks ago. At a press conference yesterday, he expanded on that thought, saying concerts will be in the last of a four phase solution to reopening from COVID-19.

You can see the slides of the presentation below, but the four stages would be this:

Stage 1: Safety And Preparedness (This is the stage we are currently in)

* Continue to build out testing, contract tracing, PPE, and hospital surge capacity
* Making essential workforce environments as safe as possible
* Prepare sector-by-sector safety guidelines for expanded workforce

Stage 2: Lower-Risk Workplaces

* Gradually opening lower-risk workplaces with adaptations

* Retail (eg. curbside pickup)
* Manufacturing

* Offices (when telework is not possible)
* More Public Spaces

Stage 3: Higher-Risk Workplaces

* Open higher-risk environments with adaptations and limits on size of gatherings
* Personal care (hair and nail salons, gyms)
* Entertainment venues (movie theatres, sports without live audiences)
* In-person religious services (churches, weddings)

Stage 4: End Of Stay-At-Home Order

* Reopen highest-risk environments and venues once therapeutics have been developed
* Concerts
* Convention Centers
* Live audience sports

As we are in stage 1, Newsom noted stage two will begin in weeks and not months, stage three and four will take "months,. not weeks."

A new survey posted today by Reuters noted that less than 30% of Americans would feel comfortable going to public events once restrictions are lifted, and wouldn't do so until there is a vaccine. Our own polling shows the numbers slightly higher, with 43% saying they would attend a concert as soon as restrictions are lifted.

Experts have estimated concerts won't return for 12 – 18 months.

CA has made progress bending the curve but the risk of #COVID19 is still very real.

Today, Governor @GavinNewsom announced details on how CA plans to modify the Stay-At-Home order in the future.

These modifications are based on science, health & data & will happen in 4 stages: pic.twitter.com/KUDhu7sowk

— Office of the Governor of California (@CAgovernor) April 28, 2020