‘Sweet Caroline’ Banned in Irish Pub to Prevent Spread of COVID19

Who knew banning songs in public places would be a new safety guideline for the coronavirus pandemic? According to The Irish Post, Murphy’s Irish Bar in Corralejo, Spain has banned the Neil Diamond classic hit, ‘Sweet Caroline’ from being played in the bar during the pandemic. Wait, WHAT?  The Irish pub decided this would help prevent the spread of coronavirus across the region. How can banning this song help prevent the spread? Droplets being released while singing the song. We all know that when ‘Sweet Caroline’ is played, especially at a bar or pub, everyone sings along. The more the alcohol is consumed, the louder the crowd sings it.

The World Health Organization says there is evidence that COVID-19 might be spread by tiny particles of moisture capable of hanging in the air. Most people release the droplets by coughing, sneezing, talking, or even breathing heavily.

Those who frequent the pubs in both the UK and Ireland seem to really LOVE to sing along to Neil Diamond’s ‘Sweet Caroline’. Like LOVE so much that apparently they are belting it out so loud that droplets are going everywhere and it caused concern. Well, that’s the explanation for the ban.

In the beginning stages of the coronavirus pandemic, a video made its rounds on social media of a large crowd in a Dublin pub singing the hit song as well as not social distancing or following safety measures. It was widely condemned and gained a lot of anger.

So I wonder what this means for other sing-alongs? I guess we’ll see soon enough.

Luckily, there is some humor in their sign outside warning everyone of the song being banned. It read, "there will be no touching hands, reaching out, touching me, touching you." I mean, you gotta laugh, right?