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REGIONAL ROUND-UP
RECHARGE 2020 HEALTH PASSPORT EUROPE PARTNERS WITH BIG CONCERTS AND THE ENTERTAINMENT GROUP TO SAFELY REOPEN THE SOUTH AFRICAN EVENTS INDUSTRY.
For most countries around the world, the prospect of a live event with multiple DJs and musicians playing to a traditional in-person audience in 2020 was nothing short of a pipedream. However, thanks to an innovative new platform from Irish-based Health Passport Europe, Cape Town was able to host exactly that, as RECHARGE 2020 took place on 21 December. Held at the Grand Café & Beach, the event utilised the latest developments in rapid COVID-19 testing, combined with the secure Health Passport Europe mobile technology, in order to make everything as safe as possible for
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all staff, performers and guests. Representing an important step towards the wider opening of events in 2021, RECHARGE 2020 passed off without a hitch. The concept was very effective. Ahead of the event, all attendees including staff and performers were required to download and set up the Health Passport Europe mobile app for free. On the day of the event, everyone was tested for COVID-19 using the latest rapid antigen tests (again for free), which are approved for use in South Africa. Within 20 minutes of testing, results were returned and updated securely to each person’s Health Passport Europe app. At event entry, security staff scanned each
person’s Health Passport Europe app and also their event ticket. All those who entered the event had negative test results. COVID-19 health guidelines were adhered to by all within the event site to ensure the lowest level of risk for all. There were multiple positive detections made at the rapid testing centre. Those who returned a positive test were referred for a followup PCR test in order to confirm the diagnosis, before being given professional medical advice in line with the national health guidelines. “This was an important moment for the events industry, which has been devastated by the pandemic,” Justin Van Wyk, CEO of
