Jada Strong 
These warmer temperatures mean summer is coming. And with summer, people emerge and gather together to listen to what’s considerably the best form of art possible–music. Just think about the variety of concerts from your favorite artists that will be throughout Chicagoland this summer: Beyonce’s Renaissance tour, Lizzo’s Special tour, Ella Mai’s Heart On My Sleeve tour, Kali Uchis’ Red Moon In Venus tour, Wizkid’s More Love Less Ego tour, Summer Smash, Windy City SmokeOut, Lollapalooza and the From the ‘Go Fest. Those are some of the concerts and festivals Chicagoeans are rushing to attend the minute the sun comes out of hiding and the city heats up; and when I say Chicagoans, I mean MILLIONS of us. So If you are planning to go, explain to me why the hell aren’t you vaxxed yet?
People, it’s 2023. The official COVID vaccine has been approved since December of 2020. I know that there’s a bunch of stigma around vaccines in general, especially with the history of the relationship between Black patients in medical settings. Trust me, I get it. It’s hard to trust something that you are unsure about, but in the past three years multiple studies have been made that prove that immunity from the virus increases after having your two doses, and even more when you consider boosters.
Ticketmaster has their own protocols regarding maintaining COVID safe environments, for example adding contactless entry via Apple Wallet, and health checks which can vary depending on the venue. Ticketmaster states that they no longer require proof of vaccination prior to entry, but many states and local governments have enforced the event organizers to confirm that information among guests. Every staff member is required to pass the health check as well in order to insure the safety of all guests. By buying the ticket alone, you are essentially agreeing to reach all the precautions needed once you arrive at the venue.
Soldier Field, a popular stadium and arena used to host events, does not enforce any COVID safety rules, although wearing a mask is highly recommended. Similar to Soldier Field, the United Center does not require full vaccination proof, but they strongly encourage all people attending major events to be vaccinated.
Soldier Field alone has enough space to accommodate nearly 61,000 people. The United Center usually fills up at 23,000 people, and Lollapalooza in Grant Park holds 400,000 attendees under the span of fours days. Nothing screams major COVID spreading louder than summertime in downtown Chicago, so please choose to be safe instead of sorry (or sick) and get vaxxed.
To get vaccinated, you can always go to your local Walgreens or your closest pharmacy, or go to https://vaccines.gov to find clinics near you. Stay safe this summer, and have fun!
By Jada Strong, Freshman, Whitney Young Magnet
Twitter/Instagram: @JadaStrongg
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