New Study Done By Epidemiologists in Berlin Suggests Attending Operas With Full Audiences is Safe

German epidemiologists from Berlin's Clinic Charité have published a study revealing that it is safe to attend opera house and concert hall performances with full audiences, Opera Wire reports.

However, to achieve the safety requirement, all audience members must be wearing face masks.

"The decisive basis is the scientific assessment of the effectiveness of mouth and nose protection," said Professor Stefan Willich, director of the Institute for Social Medicine and Epidemiology at the Berlin's Charité. "When you wear such a protection, around 95 percent of the viral load is absorbed. That means that you protect yourself, and so does everyone else."

Willich said that a classical music concert or opera performance is safe to attend, as audience members typically sit quietly and do not speak during the performance. The research suggests that it may be safer than shopping in a supermarket or using public transportation.

However, Willich also says that proper ventilation is also important to ensure the venues are safe for audience members to attend.

"Modern, adequate ventilation systems must be deployed, sometimes with special filters. The hall technology must clarify that you really have a proper filtering of air," he said.

Read more on Opera Wire.