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Dutch gov plots 80+ test concerts over nine days

The Netherlands will host more than 80 concerts across nine days as part of an extensive pilot programme of cultural activities, announced last night (6 April) by the Dutch government.

Music venues across the country, including Amsterdam’s Paradiso and Milky Way, will accommodate a total of 11,000 visitors at 87 reduced-capacity shows between 22 and 30 April.

The programme, which stretches across April and includes theatre shows and museum openings, will trial the use of test certificates which display Covid-19 test results or vaccination status.

Participants must show either a negative Covid-19 test result or proof of vaccination upon entry, and adhere to the 1.5-metre social distancing rule once inside the concert.

“There is close consultation with the municipalities about the feasibility and enforceability of the pilots,” says minister for education, culture and science, Ingrid van Engelshoven. “If these are successful, a good start can then be made with test evidence on a large scale.

“If these [pilot events] are successful, a good start can then be made with test evidence on a large scale”

“It is important that we start with this, also for all those cultural institutions that have not been able to receive an audience for a long time. The monuments, museums, theatres and music venues can now carefully open their doors.”

The pilot scheme will run alongside Fieldlab Events’ forthcoming test shows, which includes the Eurovision Song Contest in May and the 3FM Awards, which was announced today (7 April).

The 3FM Awards will be presented on 15 April at TivoliVredenburg in Utrecht with 1,000 people in attendance. Live performances will be delivered by Son Mieux and The Vices.

The most recent Fieldlab Events pilots, two test festivals held at the Lowlands site in Biddinghuizen on 20 and 21 March, were used to trial the government’s new CoronaCheck app.

The calendar for the full pilot programme can be viewed on the central government website. Artists for the concerts are yet to be announced.

 


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Dutch government to trial Covid app at test festivals

The Dutch government will trial a new app that displays the results of Covid-19 tests at the Back to Live pilot festivals this weekend.

The two music festivals – a dance music event and a rock/pop festival – will take place on Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 March, respectively, on the Lowlands site in Biddinghuizen, in the central Netherlands, admitting 1,500 participants each.

At the previous events in the Back to Live test series, participants showed their test result via a digital or paper PDF document in combination with ID. The CoronaCheck app will corroborate both of the documents.

The health minister also said that, in the long term, CoronaCheck could also integrate proof of vaccination

Fieldlab, which is responsible for organising the Back to Live pilots, will investigate whether using the app will accelerate the admittance process, though participants can choose to show test results via email if they prefer.

Minister for health, Hugo De Jonge, previously emphasised that the CoronaCheck app will only be used in non-essential places, such as festivals.

In response to concerns about data privacy, De Jonge said that, initially, the app will not contain any personal information, but that this will be the case after an amendment to the law.

The health minister also said that, in the long term, CoronaCheck could also integrate proof of vaccination, which follows his announcement that the cabinet is working on making vaccine passports “technically possible”.

 


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