Entertainment, Sports Industries Feeling Pressure Of Another COVID-19 Surge
BOSTON (CBS) – From sports to entertainment, COVID-19 is taking key players out of the game and forcing cancelations.
However, many who were at the Genesis concert Thursday said they are willing to follow any rules as long as they can see live music and concert venues stay open.
"Theirs is no mask that will stop me from singing along with my band genesis," said one concert-goer.
The TD Garden was requiring vaccine cards at the door and masks on inside the venue.
"To be honest, I didn't really feel that different because it's all about your eyes focusing on the band," said another concert-goer.
As the state faces a surge of COVID-19 infections, some are wondering these activities are safe.
"We are in a different situation than we were just a few months ago," said WBZ-TV's Dr. Mallika Marshall. "The COVID surge is upon us."
On Thursday, the state reported nearly 6,000 new cases for a positivity rate of 5.4% - the highest one-day total since January.
"You need to be really careful. I would suggest you only go if you are fully vaccinated and you've gotten your booster, assuming that you're eligible. I would only go if you and everybody around you was going to wear a mask," Marshall said.
Fans at the Boston Garden say many people drop the mask once they're inside.
The COVID-19 surge is affecting sports as well. More than 100 players are on the NFL's COVID-19 list, and on Thursday, the Bruins added three players to their list.
"I think for the next couple of months we are going to have to hunker down again and just be super careful about getting together with other people in tight indoor spaces," Marshall said.
However, many people who were at the TD Garden on Thursday said that they don't want to go back to living like that.
A spokesperson for Boston Mayor Michelle Wu says that any future decisions regarding the COVID-19 rules will be guided by science, but the city is encouraging people to get vaccinated and boosted and keeping the city's indoor mask mandate in place.
