With the world slowly opening up again due to COVID-19 vaccinations, people realize it has been a while since they were around large groups of people, like during concerts. The idea of going to concerts again not only excites people, but scares them too.
Although the world is not there yet to open everything back up at full capacity, it is an idea that crosses people’s minds of what life will be like again. The majority of The Outlook’s editorial staff said that they are now nervous and anxious being around people in general.
One editor said, “I do get nervous being around people, because you never know if someone is asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic. When you are around a person, especially without a mask, you are exposed to everyone they were exposed to.”
Another editor said, “I only become anxious around people because I am still unvaccinated. When I’m outside, I don’t worry as much because I know the transmission rate is lower, but I’ll never feel totally comfortable until I’m vaccinated.”
Some editors discussed how outdoor concerts might be available in the summer and audience members would need to be wearing masks.
An editor said they believe that the United States will allow concerts as soon as each state possibly can.
“I am interested in attending an outdoor concert in July. I recently received my first dose of the COVID vaccine, so I will be fully vaccinated by then,” said an editor. “However, I am wary of being in large crowds, even in a few months when a lot more people are vaccinated.”
Another editor said that they would let other people attend concerts first, monitor the numbers and spread, and if they see it has no effect then they would go.
One editor said that they would be comfortable attending a concert.
“I would be comfortable going to a concert and would do so if there was proper social distancing and requirement to wear masks,” they said. “I think concerts are a huge part of feeling like we are returning back to normal.”
Some editors feel that people will take up the chance to attend concerts as soon as their state governors will allow them to.
“I think people will flood back to every possible activity as soon as their state government allows them to. People being afraid is the minority, not the majority,” said one editor.
Another editor said that they believe it could go either way. “There are tons of people who are already back to ‘normal,’ like ignoring safety precautions by gathering in large groups, just because they are tired of the pandemic. At the same time, there’s still a lot of people who are following precautions and will therefore avoid concerts.”
An editor also said that younger crowds will be the ones that will most likely attend concerts and other larger social gatherings. They also said, “In my opinion, people who are nervous or high risk should not go. It’s simple.”
A majority of the editors believe that the pandemic will have lasting effects on society, like causing social anxieties and traumatic after-effects.
“I think life ‘post-pandemic’ will require a lot of adjusting,” said an editor. “I think people will have a new idea of ‘personal space’ and have habits like constant sanitizing and mask wearing, even if we get to a point where they are no longer required.”
Another editor agreed that people will probably still wear masks in public instinctively and avoid mass groups. The editor also said that while natural extroverts will most likely find their normal routine again, it may be a different situation for introverts.
“I think natural introverts may have dug themselves even deeper into that hole and will need convincing from their family and friends that it’s okay to go out again,” they said.
PHOTO COURTESY of Monmouth University