Eurovision 2021 venue Ahoy Rotterdam can open its doors for events from July 1

Eurovision 2021 venue Ahoy Rotterdam can open its doors for events from July 1
Wednesday, 24 June 2020

  • Good news for the Eurovision fans as the Eurovision 2021 venue will be opening its doors for events from July 1, as the goverment is moving in the second phase of lifting the covid-10 restirictions. 

    Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and Health Minister Hugo de Jonge announced that restrictions on concert venues will be eased, while social distancing rules will still be part of the picture in order to prevent a new diapspora of the coronavirus. 

    Back in March  the coronavirus outbreak forced most of the European goverments, among which the Dutch goverment to implement a total lockdown in the country in order to prevent the spread of covid-19 and to prevent the overload of the medicare system. The lockdown led to the ban of all mass events among which the Eurovision Song Contest that saw its first cancellation ever in history. 

    Thankfully, the measures paid off and the goverment is easing restrictions progressively, allowing from July 1 mass events to take place as long as the social distancing guidlines are followed. The Eurovision 2021 organisers that are keeping an eye on the covid-19 developments have expressed their optimism . 

    ESC 2021 executing producer Sietse Bakker posted on his twitter account: 

    SietseBakker

    Concert venues such as Ahoy in Rotterdam, which was specially mentioned by Mark Rutte, are allowed to host events again. However this will have to take place in accordance with strict rules and restrictions. 

    • All attendees must be checked through a questionnaire, if they had any covid-19 symptoms
    • All attendees cannot stand but must be seated throughtout the whole event. 
    • A distance of 1.5 metres should be kept between all attendees even if the people are from the same family. 
    • Screaming, shouting or singing loudly during the event is forbidden.  This rule apllies to football stadiums and places of worship. 

    While the virus still out there and no one can predict how it will develop the following months until the contest take place, Mark Rutte and Hugo de Jonge outlined that they do not expect to return to the previsous lockdown situation urging people to comply with the social distancing guidlines. The fact is that rules, measures, and guidlines will be adjusted each time to the covid-19 circumstances. 

    The next edition of the Eurovision Song contest is set to take place on May 18,20 and 22 at Rotterdam Ahoy , in Rotterdam, The Netherlands