An observational study of the Covid‐19 situation following the first pan‐European mass sports event

Abstract

Background All events in Europe, including EURO2020 football championship, were postponed due to Covid‐19 in 2020. Instead, Euro2020 took place in 2021, as mitigation measures were relaxed, cross‐country mobility increased and the Delta variant was spreading across Europe. This study explored the possibility of an increased Covid‐19 spread across Europe following EURO2020 matches. Methods Covid‐19 data on cases, vaccination and delta variant for participating countries, host cities/regions and neighbouring countries, for May till July 2021, were obtained from European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, Our World in Data, Johns Hopkins COVID‐19 Dashboard and the UK Government website. EURO2020 data were obtained from the Union of European Football Associations official website. Results A general increase in Covid‐19 positivity trend in Europe was observed following a week of EURO2020 matches across most countries and host cities. A similar trend was observed for the Delta variant sample positivity rate. The increased incidence was mostly among the young generation (<49 years). A decline in positive cases was observed on a national level for most countries following the Finals match. Conclusion The EURO2020 was an anticipated mass sports event, and it was the first‐time spectators were allowed to enter stadiums in Europe. Stadiums instituted several mitigations to safeguard the spectators although reports of transmission were still present. The major challenges were the gatherings outside the stadiums that might have contributed to these observations. Targeted restrictions might be required during mass sport events especially in the presence of highly transmissible variant(s) and low vaccination rates among the young generation.

Impact of the Euro 2020 championship on the spread of COVID-19

“…While stadium attendance might only have a minor effect [12][13][14], it increases TV viewer engagement [15][16][17] and encourages additional social gatherings [18]. These phenomena and previous observational analyses [19] suggest that the Euro 2020's impact may have been considerable. Therefore, we used this championship as a case study to quantify the impact of large events on the spread of COVID-19.…”

Analysing the Impact of an Elective Research Experience on Medical Students’ Research Perceptions

“…Four scholarly publications successfully were published targeting COVID-19 epidemiology across the Balkan countries [ 46 ], across microstates in Europe [ 47 ], across European countries [ 48 ], and the COVID-19 situation in Europe following the EURO2020 football tournament [ 49 ]. Another scholarly article was produced assessing the COVID-19 epidemiology across the Mediterranean region which has been accepted (but not yet published at the time of writing) in the journal African Health Sciences .…”

Assessing the impact of COVID-19 passes and mandates on disease transmission, vaccination intention, and uptake: A scoping review

“…The study of Cuschieri et al [17], however, reported a contrast in the context of the EURO2020 football championship, which was the first pan-European mass sports event after the onset of the pandemic. Following the EURO2020 championships, a general increase in COVID-19 cases was observed both on the local (host cities/regions) and national (participating and non-participating countries) levels.…”