Malta steers clear of mass events while Liverpool tests mass COVID-19 resistance

Public Health Superintendence steadfast against mass events as summer season gets underway

Social distancing rules enforced by the Public Health Superintendence have left event organisers fuming, with no sign yet of any relaxation of certain mass events.

The arts and entertainment industry yesterday had to contend with more disappointment as the summer season starts, after an open-air cinema event organised by the Valletta Cultural Agency had to be called off due to having no clearance from the Superintendence, over COVID-19 restrictions.

The news jarred as organisers took to social media to complain about otherwise positive opening up measures, due to the high uptake of the COVID-19 vaccine, as well as scenes of public massing on popular beaches such as Golden Bay, in Għajn Tuffieħa.

Yesterday, VCA boss Jason Micallef expressed disappointed at the decision to cancel an open-air cinema event for a selection of broad appeal Hollywood flicks. “This is a decision I cannot understand,” he said.

The agency was informed that no outdoor events can be hosted, even if admittance is controlled or against a vaccine certificate. The same restrictions extend to other places of entertainment like discotheques and clubs.

With bars and restaurants reopened and contact sports set to resume, the cancellation of mass events is irking promoters and organisers.

UK tests first mass events

In the UK, Liverpool was used for British government’s Events Research Programme (ERP), to explore the risk of transmission and the effectiveness of measures such as ventilation and testing. Liverpool was selected for the mass testing trial where residents were offered regular coronavirus tests.

Just 15 people have tested positive for COVID-19 following government-run live event trials organised to see how mass gatherings can resume safely.

According to a report by The Telegraph, only a small proportion of the 58,000 people who attended the pilot scheme events became infected with the virus. Events included the BRIT awards at London’s O2 arena, concerts and raves in Liverpool, and the FA Cup final and a semi-final at Wembley stadium.

The news raised hopes that large-scale entertainment can resume in line with the UK government’s final stage of unlocking, proposed for 21 June when all legal limits on social contact are set to be removed.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to be handed a report making recommendations using the results of the Events Research Programme (ERP) in the coming days.

Other events held for the ERP between April and this month included the World Snooker Championship in Sheffield, a business conference and Festival Republic gig in Liverpool, and the “Reunion 5K” run at Kempton Park in Surrey.

The approximate 58,000 people in total who attended the events were required to take both a PCR test and a lateral flow test both before and afterwards. Multiple sources told the publication that 15 positive coronavirus cases have so far been detected.

What the WHO says on mass gatherings

The World Health Organisation defines mass gatherings as high profile international sporting events such as the Olympics or World Cups,  as well as international religious events such as the Hajj, but also lower profile conferences and events “if the number of people it brings together is so large that it has the potential to strain the planning and response resources of the health system in the community where it takes place”.

The WHO says authorities must consider location and duration of the event, as well as the number of participants. For example, if the event takes place over several days in a small island state where the capacity of the health system is quite limited then even an event with just a few thousand participants could place a big strain on the health system and then be considered a “mass gathering” event. Conversely, if the event is held in a big city in a country with a large, well-resourced health system and lasts just a few hours, the event may not constitute a “mass gathering” event.

The WHO is not even recommending the cancellation of all mass events, if there is a careful assessment of the risks and how they can be managed. “It is WHO’s view that all countries with community transmission should seriously consider postponing or reducing mass gatherings that bring people together and have the potential to amplify disease and support the recommended best practice of physical distancing.”