The top infectious disease expert in the U.S. said Saturday he is confident music fans will be able to attend indoor concerts again “some time in the fall of 2021.”
During the Association of Performing Arts Professionals virtual conference, Dr. Anthony S. Fauci said a return to live shows will depend on vaccinations levels of 70 to 85 percent of the population.
“If everything goes right, this will occur some time in the fall of 2021,” said Fauci, “so that by the time we get to the early to mid-fall, you can have people feeling safe performing onstage as well as people in the audience.”
Fauci said fans will likely still have to wear face masks.
The rollout of vaccines is behind schedule in both the U.S. and Canada but Fauci said promoters, artists and fans need to stay positive.
“Performers will be performing, audiences will be enjoying it,” he said. “It will happen.”