The Netherlands: Minister for Health outrules large scale events until the Covid-19 vaccine is developed; What does this mean for Eurovsion 2021?

The Netherlands: Minister for Health outrules large scale events until the Covid-19 vaccine is developed; What does this mean for Eurovsion 2021?
Friday, 08 May 2020

  • The Dutch Minister for Health, has outruled any kind of crowded events until an effecitve coronavirus vaccine is developed.

    The Netherlands’ Minister for Health Hugo de Jonge, in a letter addressed to the parliament , according to NPO report, outlined that no mass events can take place in the country as long as no effective vaccine is developed for the coronavirus.

    Such a statement of course directly raises the question whether the next edtiion of the Eurovision Song Contest is in danger to be cancelled under such a ban for packed events. The Eurovision Song Contest is an international music event that brings together thousands of people from around the world. Dozens of acts and delegations, hundreds accredited by the press, along with thousands of fans in the arena and the rest ESC venues form  the picture during the two Eurovision weeks.

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    De Jonge wrote:

    “For the last step, that’s massive events on a national scale, we can not yet give a date [for them to resume].That is only possible once there is a vaccine, and no one knows how long that will take. Of course we hope soon, but a year or more is very likely.”

    On the other hand, scientists from many nations are in full steam in search for an effective vaccine. While a group of experts claim that an effective vaccine can be ready within the next six months, the majority of health experts put it down on more realistic bases and estimate up to 18 months the time needed for an effective vaccine to be developed and ready to reach the populations.

    Meanwhile, like Eurovision , other major all type of events have been cancelled or postponed for next year due to the covid-19 outbreak. Among them stand out the Olympic games that may have been postponed for next July-August 2021 but the exact dates cannot be determined without an effective vaccine is on the table.

    Japan Medical Association President Yoshitake Yokokura said :

    In my view, it would be difficult to hold the Olympics unless effective vaccines are developed

    In the light of all these facts raises the question if next year's Eurovision Song Contest will be able to take place without a vaccine is developed and with the scenarios describing a second wave of the pandemic to hit next autumn. Of course no one can exclude  the option to hold the contest in a different formula, for example without an audience.

    In any case the realistic approach will be to wait and see how the spread of the virus develops the following months and which progress will the research for a vaccine meet the months to come.