Coachella, Stagecoach & Iowa State Fair Cancelled As U.S. Surpasses 2 Million Coronavirus Cases

TOPLINE

 Major U.S. events that had been postponed are now being cancelled altogether—including music festival Coachella and the Iowa State Fair—amid continuing spread of COVID-19 and a concerning rise in new cases that has pushed the nation’s total to above 2 million infections to date.

KEY FACTS

Crucial quote

Announcing the music festival cancellations, Riverside County Public Health Officer Dr. Cameron Kaiser said: “I am concerned as indications grow that COVID-19 could worsen in the fall,” adding that he would not be comfortable going forward with the events.

“These decisions are not taken lightly with the knowledge that many people will be impacted.

My first priority is the health of the community,” he added.

Key background

Under California’s four-step reopening plan, concerts and festivals are set to be on hold until a vaccine of treatment for coronavirus is found, and that looks to be months away. Clinical trials are currently underway. Meanwhile, medical experts, including National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases director, Dr Anthony Fauci, have warned that the virus could be cyclical and return in the fall. Fauci has previously said he expects the U.S. to be better prepared by then. 

Additional information

The U.S. confirmed its first coronavirus case on January 20 and surpassed 1 million cases on April 28.

Further reading

Texas Shatters Record For New Coronavirus Cases (Forbes)

Coronavirus Infections Are On The Rise In 21 U.S. States, With Cases Spiking In California, Arizona And North Carolina (Forbes)

The Coronavirus Will Return In The Fall, Fauci Predicts, But The U.S. Will Be Better Prepared (Forbes)

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