Health Expert Doesn’t Expect Concerts to Return Until Fall 2021

Attending concerts is one of the many things that people are missing while social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic, and at least one health expert estimates we'll have to wait significantly longer before hearing live music in person.

In a piece for The New York Times Magazine, Zeke Emanuel, the vice provost for global initiatives and director of the Healthcare Transformation Institute at the University of Pennsylvania, was asked about how the United would "restart" its economy. Emanuel responded with the following:

"Yes, restarting the economy has to be done in stages, and it does have to start with more physical distancing at a work site that allows people who are at lower risk to come back. Certain kinds of construction, or manufacturing or offices, in which you can maintain six-foot distances are more reasonable to start sooner. Larger gatherings — conferences, concerts, sporting events — when people say they’re going to reschedule this conference or graduation event for October 2020, I have no idea how they think that’s a plausible possibility. I think those things will be the last to return. Realistically we’re talking fall 2021 at the earliest."

The concert industry has been shut down as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic from indie shows to large-scale arena and stadium productions. Many acts have rescheduled their spring 2020 shows for later in fall 2020.