“No Concerts, Even With Negative COVID Test,” Said Czech Health Minister

The original concert of the project Cesta ze tmy (Road from Darkness), scheduled for next week in the Lucerna concert hall in Prague that was to test the participation of the audience in the concert on the condition of a negative PCR test, will not take place, Health Minister Petr Arenberger told journalists on Friday.

Arenberger said he would consult epidemiologists and Culture Minister Lubomir Zaoralek on the rules for the relaxation of the culture, but next week, the concert could not take place given the epidemiological situation.

“I think we’re not ready to allow this concert it next week. However, we want to launch it in the future on a pilot basis,” said Arenberger at a press conference on Friday.

From the very beginning, the organizers conditioned the participation of the public by passing a non-invasive saliva PCR test.

The price of PCR testing would be included in the ticket. Based on the unique code, participants can register for testing on the day of the event, no later than one hour before the start.

If the result is negative, they would be able to take part in the concert without the obligation to wear a face mask.

“I started preparing these concerts only when I had all the permits and promises with specific dates and invested hundreds of thousands of crowns. I have now thrown all the money out the window because of the Minister,” said the concert organizer Karel Luxík.

“We wanted to place a mobile laboratory near Lucerna, which would test all 1,000 participants in the concert. The aim was to show that there is also a possibility to slowly return cultural and social events to normal,” he added.

“According to statistics, by testing all concert participants we will be able to detect dozens of positive cases. By identifying them, we will prevent dozens of difficult hospitalizations and save some lives. And that is the most important thing.”