Latitude Festival is a music and arts festival held at Henham Park, near Southwold (England) from 21 to 24 July. The festival attracted over 37,000 visitors and did not apply any social distancing measures or restrictions.
Attendees were required to show proof they had been vaccinated twice or tested negative for Covid-19. Organisers instituted screenings and installed air purifiers in some areas to reduce the risk of the virus spreading, but UK government figures show that 619 people were infected during the festival.
All Latitude festival attendees - including overnight campers and those who only buy day tickets - must have proof of vaccination or a negative Covid-19 test - Photo: Reuters
The risk of infection remains "everywhere," said Stuart Keeble, Suffolk County Public Health Director.
According to statistics, within 7 days from August 14 to 20, Suffolk County identified more than 241 positive cases of Covid-19 out of a total of 100,000 people, of the 1,050 people infected with Covid-19 after the Latitude Festival, 175 people lived in Suffolk.
"Suffolk is starting to reopen and people can also attend events or festivals, so it is important that everyone is community-minded, wearing masks and keeping appropriate distance when in public," Mr Keeble said. "Although the majority of the population has been vaccinated, there are no guarantees for the health of those around us if they are unlucky enough to contract the disease."
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said the recent testing showed the government could "restart cultural and sporting events safely". "But it is essential that people remain cautious about gathering in large numbers," he added.
