Festival-goers can be seen at Grant Park, Chicago, on the first day of the Lollapalooza Music Festival, Thursday, July 29, 2021. Amy Harris/Invision/APAs COVID-19 cases rise, some organizers have had to cancel large events like the New York Auto Show.Other venues may require proof of vaccination at entry.Experts in public health say vaccine-only events are safer, and offer an incentive to get shots.Check out more stories from Insider's business page.The Delta variant of COVID-19 is causing an increase in hospitalizations and cases, so organizers have cancelled the New York Auto Show as well as the New Orleans Jazz Fest.After months of declining cases, COVID-19 cases have increased since July. Florida is now the epicenter of the new wave due to its low vaccination rate.Due to an increase in cases, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reaffirmed its recommendation that both vaccinated and non-vaccinated persons wear masks indoors.Experts believe that a COVID-19 vaccine can prevent severe illness from the Delta variant in most cases. Therefore, requiring vaccinations at large events may reduce the chance of people getting infected.Donald Dumford is an infectious disease specialist at Cleveland Clinic. He said that large events are more susceptible to the spreading of the more contagious Delta strain. Although studies have shown that people who are vaccinated do not spread COVID-19's original strain as frequently as those who are not, this is not true for the Delta variant.Read More: A new crop of startups are charging $100 per visit for mental-health treatment. They believe it is the future of healthcare.A new study from the UK shows that fully vaccinated individuals have a 50-60% higher risk of contracting the Delta variant than unvaccinated persons. Other scientists have not reviewed the study. The risk of being hospitalized is reduced by 90% when you have a complete vaccine program.Despite the effectiveness and safety of vaccines the federal government has not mandated that all citizens receive a COVID-19 vaccination. However, individual cities and businesses have. Bill de Blasio, New York City mayor, announced that all indoor restaurants, gyms and performances venues must be vaccinated. United Airlines, Walmart and Google have all made it mandatory for employees to get their shots.Continue the storyDumford recommends that both unvaccinated and vaccinated persons wear masks to prevent the virus spreading to large groups. Dumford also stated that requiring vaccinations at large gatherings decreases the chance of getting a breakthrough infection.Dumford stated that even though there have been breakthrough cases and people who have had breakthroughs are just as contagious, those who are vaccinated are eight times more likely to contract COVID.Events that are only open to vaccinated people are safer and could increase the number of shots received. Amesh Adalja is a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security and an infectious disease specialist. He said that requiring proof of vaccination prior to attending pre-pandemic-type events may encourage people who aren't vaccinated to get vaccinated.Adalja stated that vaccination should be promoted as an individual benefit to allow them to resume their pre-pandemic lives. "I believe that vaccinating people will be motivated if they can see the positive changes in their lives."Business Insider has the original article.
