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Sefton Park is to play host to a brand new music festival as part of the National Events Research Programme (ERP)

SEFTON Park Pilot will take over a small area of the Grade 1 listed historic park on Sunday, 2 May 2021, with 1 of the hottest indie bands of the moment taking to the stage. On the line up are chart topping band Blossoms, BBC 6 Music championed:- The Lathums and Liverpool singer songwriter Zuzu. Doors will open from 4.30pm and as this event is part of a scientific experiment, tickets can only be purchased by Liverpool City Region residents. Once through the gates, gig goers will not have to wear face coverings or maintain social distancing as this forms part of the research on the transmission of Covid19 in an outdoor, music festival setting. Produced by Festival Republic, tickets are on sale now priced ₤29.50. Only 1 ticket can be purchased per person. Drink and food concessions will be available onsite.

Melvin Benn, Managing Director of Festival Republic, said:- "Live music is a must have in my life, and a year without it is a year too long. The Sefton Park Pilot is the most important event in the Event Research Programme for getting festivals back this year and I'm delighted to play my part. It's not about vaccines, it's not about passports, it's not about limiting it to a section of society only: it's about a universal approach to our love of live music for all and demonstrating we can do it safely."

✔ In order to be eligible for a ticket for this event you must be:-

► Over 18.

► Living in the Liverpool City Region and registered to a local GP.

► Healthy and showing no sign of Covid-19 symptoms.

X You cannot attend this event if you:-

► Have been advised that you are clinically vulnerable.

► Are shielding, or someone you live with is shielding.

► Are pregnant.

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said:- "We're 1 step closer to a summer of live events now our science led programme is underway. Testing different settings and looking at different mitigations is key to getting crowds back safely and the Sefton Park pilot is an important addition to the programme. After many months without live audiences, Festival Republic are bringing live music back to fans with this very special event and I hope it won't be too much longer until gigs are back for good."

Liverpool's Director of Public Health, Matt Ashton, said:- "Liverpool is renowned for its live music offer and so it makes sense for a gig like this to be part of our pilot programme. The evidence we will gather from this 1 off event, alongside the rest of the Events Research Programme, will enable us to better understand whether and how the Covid19 virus spreads when we're mixing in a busy, outdoor setting, with some control measures in place. This data can then be used to help shape how the entire events sector can safely reopen, both locally and nationally. Yet again, Liverpool is leading the way in bringing about change which will genuinely make a difference to people's lives and livelihoods."

Professor Iain Buchan, Dean of the Institute of Population Health at the University of Liverpool, said:- "It is good to see Liverpool bringing a live, outdoor music festival to the Events Research programme. The festival in Sefton Park will make the most of an iconic, accessible fresh air venue. Restarting this part of community life is important to society's wellbeing and therefore is of public health importance as well as minimising Covid19 risks. Liverpool's people have embraced public health innovation for over 200 years, just as they have with Covid19 SMART symptom free community testing and now the Events Research Programme."

Tickets and full terms and conditions can be found online.

For the Sefton Park Pilot, scientists are looking to see if and how crowds mixing outdoors increases the risk of transmission of Covid19. The ERP will be used to provide key scientific data into how events for a range of audiences could be permitted to safely reopen as part of the roadmap out of lockdown, commencing no earlier than 21 June 2021. The review will be crucial to how venues and events could operate this summer. Ticketholders will have to take a Lateral Flow Test at a community testing site 24 hours before the event and will have to produce a negative result to gain entry. This test has to be taken at 1 of the City's community testing sites. As part of the research element of the programme, those attending will be urged to take an at home PCR test on the day of the event and 5 days afterwards to ensure any transmission of the virus is properly monitored. This is a non mandatory, but important part of the event research data requested by the scientists. Vaccine passports are not part of Liverpool's pilot events programme.

Total UK cases Covid19 cases in and around Liverpool City Region

THE total number of UK Coronavirus (Covid19) infections that have been laboratory confirmed, within the UK, has risen by:- 1,882 cases and the total number now stand at:- 4,387,820 that includes tests carried out by commercial partners which are not included in the 4 National totals.

The total number of Covid19 associated UK fatalities added to the total, was sadly reported to be:- 35 within 28 days of positive test, according to the Department of Health. The total number of deaths of people who have had a positive test result confirmed by a Public Health or NHS laboratory is:- 127,260, within 28 days of positive test. Deaths with Covid19 on the death certificate:- 150,419.

The number of Covid19 patients currently in UK Hospitals:- 2,186. The current number of Covid19 patients currently in mechanical ventilation beds in UK Hospitals:- 332 Daily number of Covid19 patients admitted to UK Hospitals:- 179.

In England, there are a total of:- 3,834,283 confirmed cases. North West - total of:- 603,670 confirmed cases.

The number of laboratory confirmed cases within the Liverpool City Region are as follows:-

Area and number of confirmed cases:- Risen by:-
Liverpool City Region

Nation Lockdown

National UK Restrictions

► Liverpool, 48,374 confirmed cases.
8

► Halton, 11,917 confirmed cases. -- ERROR --

► Knowsley, 17,344 confirmed cases. 5

► Sefton, 23,841 confirmed cases. -- ERROR --

► St. Helens, 17,027 confirmed cases. 2

► Wirral, 24,218 confirmed cases.
7

Colour Key:- 0 1 to 10 11 to 20 21 to 30 31 to 40 41 to 50 51 to 100 100 to 199 200 & over

Daily reported Covid19 deaths are now measured across the UK as deaths that occurred within 28 days of the 1st laboratory confirmed positive Covid19 test. Daily and cumulative numbers of Covid19 patients admitted to Hospital. Data are not updated every day by all 4 nations and the figures are not comparable as Wales include suspected Covid19 patients while the other nations include only confirmed cases.

Total UK people who have received Vaccination

1st Dose 2nd Dose

32,849,223 9,930,846

Jab Stats correct as of:- 17 April 2021

The Vaccination programme began on 8 December 2020 with people receiving the Vaccine developed by Pfizer / BioNTech, and people began receiving the Oxford University / AstraZeneca Vaccine from 4 January 2021. Both Vaccine s are given as 2 doses, at lEast 21 days apart, for a full Vaccination course.