COVID and festivals: a Med Student Raver’s perspective. Hi friends, I’m Sean and I’m a medical student/bass head. I also have 2 years of infectious disease research experience and a degree in premedical biochemistry. 1/x

2/x With some festivals coming back I’m seeing a lot of chatter about the sticky situation this puts us in. I am by no means an expert of epidemiology but I do understand a large quantity of what’s going on in a more in depth way: the dangers that it presents to us, and what...

3/xthat means for us as a community. The circumstances surrounded the allowed “return to raving” and life in general are centered around a few conditions. 1) by august, 80-90+% of the population will be vaccinated for COVID-19 conveying nearly the percentage of people necessary

4/for herd immunity. 2) if those numbers are not reached a negative COVID test will be required for entry. 3) state and local health ordinances will be followed (this one is subjective depending on the state you are in or where the festival is located)

5/x that can range from mandatory mask wearing to lower capacity. Here’s the important part, if you feel like you don’t feel safe and do not want to attend these events then certainly do not. It is your choice to make

7/x disease eradication has occurred which (hopefully) will be achieved by the end of the year.

It is important to remember that there is a very definitive difference between public health concerns and hypochondria.

8/x The sensationalism and lack of confident and well dispersed scientific information that is readily accessible and understood by the public is a major factor in this situation. If you are healthy, and you get vaccinated (or you’re around people that are 92% vaccinate

9/x you are in no more danger than you would be from catching any other disease that is spread the same way. Many of us have had loved ones affected or even killed by this disease, I am by no means telling you to break health ordinances as it is important to follow the laws

11/x what I’m encouraging you all to do is listen to the experts and people who’s job is is to make sure your risk is as low as possible. We live in a world filled with disease, this has never stopped us from doing events like this before (except in 1918) and it shouldn’t now

12/x Feel free to comment and if you have any questions or want me to explain something further hit me here or in the DMs. Sorry for the long post but there is never a good reason to be mean to anyone even if you don’t agree with their choices.

Bottom line: if you’re not a public health expect, a doctor, or someone with extensive experience studying these diseases it is not your place to bring judgmental or hatful criticism to anyone. You are free to make your own choices as well is everyone else.