No COVID spread from fans at Allianz Arena

Article posted by Coliseum, August 13^th, 2021

Image: Allianz Arena

The organizers worst nightmare did not come true – that the recently concluded Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Euro 2020 showpiece – few fixtures which were held at the Allianz Arena in Munich (Germany) with 14,500 spectators in attendance at each game – would prove to be a COVID-19 superspreader event.

‘tz’ stated that the above scenario feared did not become a reality. Though the virus numbers are rising again, but, due to the foolproof measures adopted by the authorities concerned in Munich during the European Championship, not much coronavirus incidences among fans attending the fixtures have been reported.

The 2020 UEFA European Football Championship, commonly referred to as UEFA Euro 2020 or simply Euro 2020, was the 16^th UEFA European Championship, the quadrennial international men’s football championship of Europe organized by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). It was held from June 11^th, 2021 to July 11^th, 2021.

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Nyon (Switzerland)-headquartered the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) is the administrative body for football, futsal and beach soccer in Europe. It is one of six continental confederations of the world football’s governing body FIFA. UEFA consists of 55 national association members.

The Allianz Arena is a football stadium in Munich, Bavaria, Germany with a 70,000 seating capacity for international matches and 75,000 for domestic matches.

The ‘tz’ further stated that the Federal Ministry of Health in Germany gave the green light to Allianz Arena to stage three group stage matches and one quarter-finals match at the recently concluded UEFA Euro 2020. For each of the four matchups, 14,500 spectators were allowed to grace the same. Due to the stringent COVID-19 protocols in place, only five cases of coronavirus were reported to the State Office for Health while the soccer spectacle was on.

In the entire German State of Bavaria, only 18 cases of COVID-19 have been reported as a result of public gatherings.

Virus numbers rising

As COVID-19 restrictions have been loosened in Germany since the month of May, the virus numbers are rising all over the European country. While the nationwide seven-day incidence was 21.2 on August 7^th, it rose to 22.6 on August 8^th.

The State of Bavaria still boast less virus numbers when compared to the other Federal States of Germany – the incidence remaining at 15.3 on August 8^th, but in Bavaria capital Munich the incidence is high with a value of 25.7 being reported on the same date. A clear picture has still not appeared as to whether the Government will again clamp down strict COVID-19 rules.

However, the low incidences reported during the Euro 2020 soccer showpiece do not mean that the Bundesliga 2021-2022 seasons will boast full houses. The same counts for other major sporting and cultural events.

The 2021-2022 Bundesliga will be the 59^th season of the Bundesliga, Germany’s premier football competition. It will begin on August 13^th, 2021 and will conclude on May 14^th, 2022.

The Minister of State for Health in Bavaria, Klaus Holetschek of the Christian Social Union (CSU), observed that the fans’ “Mask discipline still left much to be desired and they need to be much more responsible while following COVID-appropriate behavior. Strict hygiene rules need to be adhered to keeping in mind that there will be onset of autumn soon and if people throw all caution to the wind the authorities will be forced to impose stringent coronavirus rules again as the numbers are increasing and the Delta variant has already started its devastation in several countries around the globe. The people should not create conditions as a result of which authorities will be forced to make them stay cooped up inside their homes once again.”

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