Festivals and Covid: A risk worth taking?

Grabbing the backpack, checking the camping gear and singing your heart out in a field - it's the stuff of dreams for any festivalgoer.

For the hundreds of thousands of people at a festival this weekend though, there's one other thing to think about: Covid.

Boardmasters and Latitude both happened earlier in the summer and each has been potentially linked to thousands of cases of the virus.

So what's it like going to an event where you know you might catch Covid?

Jay Luffer is camping at a festival for the first time.

Before he set off for Reading Festival on Thursday, he admitted to Newsbeat that he's a bit nervous about how unhygienic festivals can be.

"I've heard bad things about the toilets and showers, so that feels like it's going to be a Covid breeding ground," the 17-year-old from Swindon said.

"I think [catching the virus] is inevitable . A lot of people who bought tickets probably expected it anyway."

Jay's really making the most of the events going on this weekend.

He went from Reading to All Points East on Friday, before heading back to Reading for Saturday and Sunday.

And despite the risk posed by being in a big crowd of people, he's been looking forward to "a lot of energy" from everyone who's missed live music during the pandemic.

"There's a pent-up excitement for festivals going back," he says.

Jay is taking precautions for himself, bringing "seven masks and then a few reusable ones", and a pack of lateral flow tests.

"I feel it will be hard to avoid [getting Covid] but it's better than nothing. And even if it doesn't work, at least I've tried."

Jay adds that not worrying about Covid at the festival will come down to trusting people - ticket-holders must prove they've had two jabs, a recent negative lateral flow test, or have natural immunity - as lots of young people may not have been fully vaccinated yet.

"It takes trust from the people doing [lateral flow tests] that they'll report their results accurately instead of saying they're negative if it's actually positive," he says.

For Shrish Menon, going to the Lost Village festival will be a "release from the horrible last few years".

"I'm looking forward to being around loads of people, and escaping the nine-to-five reality," the 24-year-old from east London says.

Shrish admits that catching the virus is a concern, but being double-vaccinated puts her mind "more at ease".

"I know there's a risk and it's a slight worry, but we've been worrying about Covid for so long."

She accepts there's only so much you can do in a festival environment to reduce your chance of infection.

"I guess we'll cross that bridge when it comes."

Jack Stacey regrets going to Boardmasters earlier this month, because he and all 20 of the friends he went with now have Covid.

"It's not been worth it," the 20-year-old from Staffordshire tells Newsbeat.

"I was always under the impression for me it would just be a little cough because I'm young - but I haven't been able to get out of bed."

Since Jack came home his brother, sister and dad have also tested positive.

Jack's experience is what McKenzie Holmes wants to avoid.

She went to Reading in 2019 and describes it as "one of the best things" she's ever been to - but this year, it's a different story.

The 18-year-old from Swansea was supposed to go to Reading again, and had other live gigs planned over the next few weeks - but she's sold all her tickets.

"I'd rather not [go] because cases are rising," she says.

Along with the possible effects of Covid, McKenzie is also worried about missing the start of her first term at university if she has to self-isolate.

"Uni in September is a short timeframe for me. Obviously there are people who aren't as scared as me as they bought tickets, but it seems to be the best decision to make for me.

"Before Covid, I'd have gone everywhere. I don't know if it's anxiety about Covid or the stress of missing out on experiencing things [like uni], but now I've been really holding back."

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