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Could Coachella Be Canceled Because Of Coronavirus?
A case of COVID-19 near Coachella's site raises questions about the festival's plans.
- Words:
- Aliya Chaudhry
As concern and cases of the coronavirus grow, more and more bands are cancelling shows, and events are being cancelled on an even larger scale. While festivals such as SXSW have been cancelled, the fate of Coachella now hangs in the balance. It is uncertain whether Coachella, slated to take place over two weekends between April 10 and 19 in Indio, California, will be happening this year.
Riverside County, where Indio is located, has had its first confirmed case of the coronavirus and has declared a public health emergency. According to Riverside County public health officer Dr. Cameron Kaiser, it is unclear about whether Coachella and other public events will be allowed to take place at this point. The patient is being treated at Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage, which is close to Indio.
Over 12,000 signatures have been added to a petition to cancel the festival.
As of March 8, there are 105,586 confirmed cases of the coronavirus worldwide, according to the World Health Organization, with cases in 101 countries. A public health emergency has been declared in many cities, including New York.
Austin, Texas’ SXSW was officially cancelled for the first time in 34 years after several high-profile artists and tech companies pulled out.
“We are devastated to share this news with you. ‘The show must go on’ is in our DNA, and this is the first time in 34 years that the March event will not take place,” SXSW said in a tweet. “We are now working through the ramifications of this unprecedented situation.”
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Glastonbury’s status is also unclear. This year’s festival is scheduled to take place on June 24-28 in Somerset. The staff are monitoring the situation, and right now are preparing for the festival to go on as planned, barring any further developments.
“We work closely with all of the relevant agencies, including Public Health England and the NHS, and always review our plans as any circumstances change,” said Adrian Coombs, Glastonbury Festival’s Head of Event Operations.
“With this in mind and with our 2020 Festival still 16 weeks away, we continue to plan and prepare for the event, whilst at the same time closely monitoring developments with the coronavirus situation.”
Kerrang! sends our hearts to those who have been affected by the coronavirus in any way, and we hope that everyone stays safe.
