This is both frightening and interesting ... Germany is putting thousands of volunteers in harm's way in the middle of the pandemic, to see if indoor events -- like concerts --can resume.
The research study -- sanctioned by the government -- solicited 4,000 folks between the ages of 18 and 50 ... all of whom are healthy. They have agreed to attend one of 3 concerts performed by singer Tim Bendzko.
Pop star Tim Bendzko @bendzko thanking the study participants with his hit song, Nur noch kurz die Welt retten (Just quickly saving the world): "You're the heroes today!" #Restart19 pic.twitter.com/sXbIvLzvti
— elizabeth grenier (@elizgrenier) August 22, 2020
The stated purpose of the concerts ... "to investigate the conditions under which such events can be carried out despite the pandemic."
The volunteers will get face masks and they will have tracking devices to determine if they have socially distanced and if not ... how close they got to others. They are also using some sort of electronic device which is supposed to show how aerosolized particles spread.
The first concert went down Saturday in Leipzig, Germany, where 2,000 people showed up.
The Minister of Economics and Science said, "As long as there is a risk of infection, major concerts, trade fairs and sporting events cannot take place. This is why it is so important to find out which technical and orginisational conditions can effectively minimise the risks."
You know who will surely be watching.