There are only four months left until December. Four months left until the average worker bee unbuttons his shirt and lets loose. Only four months until matriculants dust off their dancing shoes and start boogying into the wee hours of the morning.
December time is certainly a vibe in the Mother City, but as various festival organisers start gearing up for this manic time, many South Africans have been left concerned regarding COVID-19 safety protocols.
The pandemic has not been kind to festival lovers looking to stomp the night away to some good music, with countless music events such as Rocking the Daisies and Plett Rage being cancelled due to soaring numbers.
To the sheer delight of those looking to let loose with a bucket of Vodka, Plett Rage recently announced that they would be reviving the week-long festival but issued a stark warning – “no vax, no entry.”
A negative PCR test, proof of vaccination and an additional test before they enter the venue, and each day of the event after that are safety precautions Plett Rage has implemented to ensure the safety of festival-goers, reports News24.
Balito Rage, another rite of passage for matriculants in KwaZulu-Natal, has recently announced that they too will be hosting their event between November 30 and December 5 – all while observing the relevant safety precautions and government protocols. The extra safety measures come after countless youngsters tested positive for COVID-19 after attending the event in 2020.
Will added safety measures work is the question on everyone’s minds?
Dr Ridhwaan Suliman, a senior researcher at CSIR, stated that attending large gatherings like this is still a no-no.
While there’s no guarantee that one event could be classified as a super-spreader, people still need to understand that attending large gatherings could put them and their families at risk, reports IOL.
An added concern is that South Africa may enter the fourth wave in the coming months, but Suliman states it’s too early to predict.
“Based on the timing of the past waves, we are not sure when the fourth wave could start but we can expect a resurgence at the end of the year. At the moment, all provinces are showing a decrease in infections but places inland tend to peak earlier,” he said.
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Picture: Cape {town} Etc Gallery