Some European fans of Taylor Swift not only share their love for the singer but also share something else – COVID-19.
During Taylor Swift’s European Eras Tour, she performed in Madrid on May 29 and 30. According to Spanish news site El Nacional, shortly after the concert, which attracted around 130,000 attendees over two days, thousands of people online claimed that they had contracted COVID-19. Large gatherings like concerts are often considered potential superspreader events, as people from various locations, sometimes even different countries, come together in close proximity.
One specific social media account, known for being a hub for Spanish Swifties, conducted a poll among its followers, asking if they had fallen ill with COVID-19 after attending one of Taylor Swift’s concerts in Madrid. Out of the 10,796 people who participated in the online poll, 35%, or 3,780 concertgoers, claimed that they had.
One attendee shared their symptoms as follows: “I have a cough, sore throat, body aches, and it’s difficult for me to speak.” Another individual mentioned experiencing neck pain on Saturday and enduring a fever of 39C from Sunday to Monday, which they described as one of the worst nights of their life. Yet another person noticed feeling uneasy and dizzy over the weekend, accompanied by persistent coughing. They took a COVID-19 test, which returned a positive result.
Not only are some of the largest European cities facing potential superspreader events this summer, but scientists in the United States are also warning of a “summer wave” of COVID-19 cases. This increase in cases is attributed to the emergence of new Omicron subvariants, such as the KP.3 variant, JN.1 virus, and other strains known as the Flirt strains. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has reported that these new strains now account for over 50% of the cases in the U.S. While the CDC notes that infection rates and hospitalizations have been relatively low or at minimal levels of respiratory illness activity, their data suggests that infections are projected to rise in several states including California, Washington D.C., Florida, New Jersey, and Texas.
In the midst of rising worries over the surge in infections due to new variants, an interesting development has emerged among thousands of Taylor Swift fans. While some have expressed the challenges and hardships of experiencing COVID-19 and its symptoms, others have surprisingly embraced it as an unexpected bonus from the Taylor Swift Eras Tour. One individual even humorously remarked, “I’ve been infected by Taylor Swift! I could sell my antigen test for 5000 euros!” treating the test as a cherished memento of their Swiftie journey. Another fan playfully commented, “Taylor Swift is so adorable – she even included the new COVID variant as a surprise in the Eras Tour Madrid.”
While Spanish Swifties may proudly share their positive COVID test results, it’s not just them who have been affected by the virus at Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour. According to a report by The Nacional, some French Swifties are also experiencing symptoms similar to COVID-19 after attending the singer’s shows in Paris on June 9 and 10. Last year, there were concerns that concertgoers during the U.S. leg of the tour also contracted the virus, but the Los Angeles Times noted that it wasn’t confirmed if these cases contributed to a wider spread of the virus.