Are People Dying be in Crowds?

 

 If the Lollapalooza gathering this weekend in Chicago does not prove to be a super-spreader event, I will have some renewed  confidence that the vaccine can limit the spread of Covid-19.   385,000 people actually paid money to stand cheek to cheek with total strangers to listen to some bands that I would not listen to for free.  Plus my aversion to large crowds which has nothing to do with the current pandemic, it's a chronic condition. (but I digress)

Officials claimed that 90% of the entrants showed proof of vaccination.  I'm skeptical that the checking for proof of Vax/Neg test was carried out rigorously.  I understand that there is a brisk online market in fake vaccine ids.    So I'll be watching the numbers carefully to see how this plays out.

There was an item on the news today that local officials are urging everyone who went to that event to get tested.   I guess we will know more in another week or ten days.  I've actually been at a loss to explain why more people are not getting sick after attending those crowded rallies, demonstrations, and parties.  Especially in unvaxed areas,-- logic would dictate a much higher spread rate.  Can anyone explain that?

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FOLLOW-UP:   August 13, 2021

Chicago Sun Times: "Of the approximately 385,000 people who attended, 203 attendees have been diagnosed with COVID-19, the Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner said Thursday during a news conference at City Hall. As of Wednesday, none of those who tested positive have had to be hospitalized or have died." 

Well, there you have it -- my fears were not justified by evidence. Or logic. ( I observed video of the check-in process, showing concert-goers filing past check-points holding a white card aloft. The rapid pace of the crowd did not allow any scrutiny of the data on the card. )
Thus, I was certain that many in the crowd were unvaxed and infected. Unless a substantial number of additional cases can be traced to this event, this data seems to support an amazing effectivity of the vaccine. Or it could be that the attendees had more natural immunity built up by listening to bad music? More study is clearly needed.