Abstract
Mass gatherings and high-density activities, such as sporting events, conventions, and theme parks, are consistently included among highest-risk activities given the increased potential for widespread coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) transmission. A more balanced risk management approach is required because absolute suppression of risk is unrealistic in all facets of life. Contact tracing remains a limiting factor in achieving such a balance. The use of Bluetooth or pairing devices is proposed to address this challenge. This simple approach, when applied in a manner that satisfies privacy and trust concerns, would allow high-risk encounters to be quickly identified, namely those where participants have spent 15 minutes or more within 6 ft of each other per current guidelines. If an attendee later tests positive for COVID-19 and tracing is required, the event organizer can provide a limited list of potential close contacts rather than an exhaustive list of all attendees. Contact tracers can, therefore, limit efforts to this concise group rather than needing to contact thousands of people or conduct mass media communications. Such a system, if institutionalized, supports risk assurance and safety measures for businesses by demonstrating a commitment to staff, customer protection, and ensuring high-risk encounters are logged, reinforcing longer-term societal pandemic resilience.
Highlights
Mass gatherings and high-density activities, such as sporting events, conventions, and theme parks, are consistently included among highest-risk activities given the increased potential for widespread coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) transmission
Absolute suppression of risk is unrealistic in all facets of life, but a more balanced risk management approach is suggested to enable safer resumption of activities that offer significant social and economic benefits.[15]
COVID-19 case identified after event a typical infection might result in 3.2 prolonged contacts, sporting events, festivals, and concerts may have tens of thousands of attendees or more, any of whom may have come into contact with another attendee who is later found to have been infectious at the time of the event
Summary
The specific guidance for sanitation, hygiene, and physical distancing provided by the CDC could be enforced and monitored at the county and state by the environmental health workforce.[22] The role of this profession has rapidly evolved over recent years to include emergencies to protect the public from exposures to environmental hazards, disasters, and disease outbreaks.[23] In recognition, the profession has been formally recognized in the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness and Advancing Innovation Act of 2019 In this situation, the activities would build on existing skills and tasks. This could include, for example, ad-hoc inspections of sanitation, hygiene, and physical distancing standards at mass gatherings and liaising with event organizers to identify and mitigate potential transmission risks This could be rapidly and achieved as the environmental health workforce are generally government employees who have the mandate and authorities necessary to enforce health directives.
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