CMO Says There's No 'Specific Advice Or Planning' For COVID-safe Music Festivals Happening Right Now

The Chief Medical Officer has addressed the upcoming summer music festival season yesterday, saying that the moment they are "not front of mind". 

Professor Paul Kelly spoke at a press conference yesterday and when asked about the upcoming season advised that the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee had started to look at "the particular issues in relation to music events" but that it had been delayed due to the current situation in Victoria. 

"On music events, firstly an apology particularly to the younger members of our community, and I would include my children in that, who find these events so attractive and such fun as I did, and still do..." said Kelly. 

"It's something we did look at very closely in the Australian Health Protection Committee some weeks ago before the situation as has developed in Victoria has taken more of our attention. We did start looking at the particular issues in relation to music events. 

"When you think about it, they are relatively high risk. Large numbers of people, often multi-day events, lots of close contact, dancing and singing and so forth, all of these things are higher risk than some other mass gatherings, and so they have a particular component to them and at the moment, I must admit, it is not front of mind.”

Kelly also addressed specific states with low COVID-19 case numbers mentioned in the question. 

"In terms of what Western Australia or even the NT for example may decide to do - of course they can do their own developments within those states which have had less cases and continue to have less cases - but they're wary, they've seen what's happened in Victoria which virtually eliminated the virus just as recently as 6-7 weeks ago and how rapidly that can develop, so it's a cautious approach at the moment. 

"And in terms of specific advice or planning, it's not happening right now."

Earlier this week, peak body Live Performance Australia released guidelines COVID-safe touring and performance for smaller scale events. 

Additional guidelines for "events of scale" (large concerts, music festivals and more) are currently being developed by the recently formed LEIF group. A timeline for their release is yet to be announced.