Government now hopeful of CAPACITY CROWDS at Wembley for England’s Euro 2020 campaign after just 15 coronavirus cases recorded among 58,000 people at test events – as Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden announces plans to trial covid passports
- Oliver Dowden is hopeful of capacity crowds in stadiums this summer after results of covid test events revealed just 15 cases among 58,000 spectators
- Culture Secretary told the Evening Standard a second round of trials would include covid passports, and the paper understands they will include Euro 2020
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden is now anticipating capacity crowds at Euro 2020 matches played at Wembley stadium this summer, with the support of covid passports.
The government has revealed that only 15 cases of coronavirus resulted from widespread event testing in April and May, among the 58,000 people who took part.
The trial events included the FA Cup semi-final and final and the Carabao Cup final. The success of the trials has left the cabinet minister more confident that social distancing restrictions may be lifted from June 21, the next step in the government’s road map out of lockdown.
June 21 has been named as the earliest date social distancing will be dropped in England
‘I hope by June 21 we will be lighting up the West End again, having full stadiums and bringing light and Technicolor back into our national life again,’ Dowden told the Evening Standard.
The trial events relied upon testing for covid infection, use of face masks, crowd control and ventilation, Dowden has confirmed to the Evening Standard that there will be a second round of events, this time looking at covid passports.
And now the Government is commissioning a second round of trials involving even bigger crowds at major venues, including the use of covid passports.
The Evening Standard has reported it understands Euro 2020 matches at Wembley will be included among those test events, which is expected to significantly increase the capacity allowed.
Wembley Stadium could host a capacity crowd for the Euro 2020 final in July this year
‘There’s two questions. Can we go ahead with stage four on June 21? I hope I hope we can. We’re definitely not ruling it out. Then the second question is the ‘how’ and this is about the sort of mitigations that you might have to have in place.’
Asked if he could he envisage theatres being allowed to sell every seat instead of keeping some empty. Mr Dowden admitted he was tempted to say he was ‘confident’ but settled on the more cautious phrase, ‘I’m very hopeful.’
Scientists have acknowledged that outdoor venues, where ventilation is much better, tend to be safer environments than indoor in relation to the spread of coronavirus.