Its a well established fact that you can catch several horrible diseases from playing low-quality MP3s in your sets, which is why things like the Heavy Hits Pool are so important for DJs.
But now there is a new risk for DJs, and looks like it is going to impact 2020 in some pretty unprecedented ways.
Ultra Miami and SXSW have been cancelled in the USA. Italy is basically closed for the next few weeks. Events of over 1000 people are banned in France. Football matches have been played behind closed doors, or postponed. Festivals across the world are holding meetings to work out how to proceed, wedding planners are having nervous breakdowns.
Health scares come and go, but this one looks set to be especially damaging, both in human cost, with thousands dead already, and economic, with stock markets around the world in turmoil as traders try to predict what damage this pandemic might cause.
Its therefore a very tough time to be working in the events world – an inherently unpredictable and volatile business at the best of times.
While its true that DJs and events professionals are generally not in the high risk category for dying from coronavirus, the fact is that we can easily act as accelerators for its spread, because of how many people we come into contact with in the course of a weekend, and because of how much we travel. We all have a responsibility to those who are at risk of death or serious ill-health from this virus, and a duty to try to slow the spread, so that health services are not overwhelmed.
So what can you do to make it less likely that you catch, or transmit, coronavirus/COVID-19?
1. WASH YOUR HANDS!!!
A lot. Way more than usual, with soap and water. The water will help rinse the virus off. Soap breaks down the virus and “kills” it, so lather up, and get washing your hands for 20-30 seconds at every opportunity. Wash them the moment you get home, the moment you get to work, the moment you arrive at a venue or restaurant or bar. This is the single best way that you can help yourself, and the people around you, and its so easy. A lot of people have been having fun with Wash Your Lyrics – converting your favourite songs into a helpful guide to time yourself!
2. If you can’t wash your hands – use hand sanitiser.
Ideally, you want 60% alcohol or above to have maximum effectiveness. As DJs, we get a lot of people grabbing our hands for handshakes, and high fiving etc. When that happens – quick bit of sanitiser, clean those hands, carry on. If you can’t get the 60%+ stuff, other sanitiser is better than nothing – but the high alcohol stuff is far more effective. Make sure the sanitiser gets into all the bits of your hands – between the fingers, on the backs, etc etc.
3. Don’t touch your eyes, mouth or nose if your hands aren’t clean
A big way that the virus is transmitted is from it getting on hands (hence all the hand washing!), and then people touching their faces or putting fingers in their mouths or noses. Try as best you can to avoid doing this, unless you know your hands are clean.
4. Disinfectant wipes
Wipe down the decks and mixer before you get started with some decent disinfectant wipes. I was already doing this anyway, because I’ve seen the state of most decks in most club, and they are disgusting! This won’t keep you totally safe, but it will help. Plus the decks won’t be gross. Its not clear whether these products will definitely kill coronavirus, but based on what we know, it seems likely that they will
5. Avoid unnecessary hand contact
Judging from my gigs last weekend, this one ain’t easy. But try to avoid handshakes, high 5s, bro hugs, kissing people hello/goodbye, etc etc. People might think you are being paranoid, but forget that noise. You’re being sensible, and its as much for their benefit as yours. Wave to people, make a joke of it and go for an elbow-boop, whatever works.
6. Cover your mouth with a tissue or your sleeve when you cough/sneeze
Not an easy thing to remember in the middle of a sneeze, but basically this is to help avoid it being spread in the air to people around you and to avoid getting it on to hands, because hands then have a habit of touching everything else (and therefore maybe transmitting to others). Put used tissues in the trash straight away.
If you do find that you have symptoms or you’ve come into contact with someone who has it, and you suspect you might have the virus – don’t go to your doctor, don’t go to a hospital. Pick up the phone, call the relevant helpline for the country you are in, and get the advice from there. They will have the best advice for you, you will minimise the pressure on the health service where you live, and you will reduce the risk of you spreading the virus, or you getting it from somebody else at a hotspot like a hospital. Listen to what medical experts are telling you, listen to what the big medical and scientific institutions are telling you.
Try to be responsible, and see the bigger picture. I personally have had my dream gig next month cancelled – two weeks DJing in Rome. I’m gutted, but I accept the reasons why it had to happen. I doubt it will be the only gig I lose in the next few months. Shouting at promoters who cancel events is not fair on them (they will not want to do this, and will most likely be losing a lot more money than you, having done a lot more work), and will only hurt your future chances of being booked.
It might be that you miss out on some gigs, and for DJs that often means you don’t get paid. Its hard to take when things outside your control hit you like that, but nothing is more important than your health, and the health of those around you. If you don’t have an emergency fund – let this be the event that motivates you to set one up, and put a little aside from every gig for these sorts of unexpected problems.
This is a time when everyone needs to pull together as a community, and support one another however we can. Hopefully we will get through this with the minimum harm, and be stronger for it.
More info here