Covid-infected music festival goers ‘ruined holidays for hundreds’

The organisers of a music and arts festival linked to dozens of Covid-19 cases say Queensland’s current health plans may not go far enough to ensure the protection of patrons at such events.

The organisers of a music and arts festival linked to dozens of Covid-19 cases say Queensland’s current health plans may not go far enough to ensure the protection of patrons at such events.

Elements Festival 2021, which was held inland from the Sunshine Coast just before Christmas, says it is still to receive any contact from Queensland Health despite widespread publicity about the outbreak.

“We have not received any communications or advice from QLD Health or contact tracers since the event,’’ a festival spokesperson said.

The festival was attended by hundreds of people from interstate and came under fire after unvaccinated people were allowed in before Queensland’s vaccine mandate came into effect.

Elements organisers said they were in constant contact with Queensland Health in the lead-up to the event ‘to ensure our Covid safe plan met the criteria for new mandates introduced on 17 December’.

“The event could not operate without an approved Covid plan, which was implemented in full, and the consent of multiple authorities (including council and emergency services),’’ the spokesperson said.

“Elements have safely produced two other festivals during Covid with no resulting outbreak, so we felt confident to go ahead with this edition.

“Although we will certainly be reviewing our procedures to see how we can improve and further minimise the impact of Covid at future events, we are also aware of the unfortunate timing with borders opening and cases exploding all around the country, particularly in Queensland.’’

The organisers said the festival alone should not be blamed for Covid cases among patrons.

“We feel this outcome is the consequence of multiple contributing factors from a failure to closely monitor borders, to the arrival of the highly infectious Omricon variant in Australia and, potentially, the current model of Covid safe plans for events not adequately addressing the risk amongst a multitude of other factors.

“We’ll be looking at everything, including whether we need to implement a Covid plan that is above and beyond the current requirements at future events, to ensure we can minimise the risk as much as possible.”

One woman said she knew of at least 15 people who had tested positive to Covid after the Elements Festival 2021, two of which ended up very sick in hospital.

Another wrote on a Facebook site highlighting Covid exposure risks: “I woke this morning with the news I tested positive to Covid after being at Elements Festival 2021 and also the Carols at Peregian.’’

“Not sure where I contacted it but it has been a hellish last two days with fever, cough, weakness and full body aches.”

Harriet Mitcham posted that her friend worked at Nambour hospital and two people from the festival are super sick with Covid.

“Literally so so many people I know have tested positive after Elements.”

Elements Festival in the Sunshine Coast hinterland was hit hard by Covid-19. Photo: Elements, Instagram

She estimated at least 15 had tested positive, while another on the forum said she knew of five.

Numerous people posted their fury on the Elements Facebook site this week after having to miss Christmas functions with family because they had to isolate.

“We just had to FaceTime our family instead of have Christmas Eve dinner with them because they infected me and my son,’’ one wrote.

Dani Elle said any actions of irresponsible people who had attended the event while positive could ‘put another nail on the coffin of these types of gatherings’.

Concerns were raised on the Elements site that people who entered the festival earlier did not have to show proof of vaccination.

Queensland Health initially listed the Kingaham festival as a ‘casual contact’ Covid site but that was later upgraded to a close contact, which requires far stricter isolation rules.

The festival, which went for four days from December 17 to 19, attracted hundreds from several states.

Elements Festival organisers say they followed Queensland Health guidelines but were unable to do app-based QR code check-ins as there was no Wi-Fi at the venue.

Instead ticket purchases were being used for contact tracing.

The vaccination mandate for Queensland only came in on the second day of the festival.

Festival organisers used their Facebook site late on Christmas Day to alert people that the event had been listed by Queensland Health as a close contact event.

“Qld Health has now upgraded the exposure contact status from ‘casual’ to ‘close’ on their website, which changes the isolation period required of attendees.

‘Previously, you were asked to isolate until receiving a negative test. Close contacts, however, are required to

– If vaccinated, isolate for seven days from the time of last exposure and test on day one and day five or if suffering any symptoms. You must continue to wear a face mask on and from Day 8 to Day 14 whenever outside your home and with people other than members your household.

– If unvaccinated, isolate for fourteen days from the time of last exposure and test on days 1, 5 and 12 or if suffering any symptoms.

– Members of your household must be advised as they may now be considered secondary contacts.

It went on to say: “We reiterate the need for protecting your loved ones and vulnerable members of the wider community and urge all Elementals to act responsibly.

“Thank you to our amazing community members who advised us of this upgrade in status that has occurred in just the past hour or so. We have still not been contacted by Qld Health or contact tracers and it is thanks to those community members that we can continue to be proactive in this situation.”

“We will be emailing all ticket holders again with this new advice.”

One person on Reddit was furious about the whole situation.

“I‘m debating whether to post this because I’m pretty angry. If you brought Covid to the Elements Festival and had no symptoms/had no idea, please disregard this. I totally understand and I hope you get well soon. Otherwise, if you were sick and went anyway, I hope you realise that you have single-handedly ruined Christmas for hundreds, potentially thousands of people, you Grinch.”