Reportedly the 2022 Oscars Awards will not be requiring proof of vaccination for Covid-19 in order to attend the ceremony in person in Hollywood, L.A on 27 March.
After last year’s Academy Awards ceremony that saw the huge downsizing and getting to a much smaller crowd at Union Station Los Angeles, the Oscars are back to their old-style setting in Hollywood, the Dolby Theater Boulevard, for the Academy Awards ceremony coming up on March 27.
It is yet to be confirmed if the size of the live audience will be reduced this year as well on one of the biggest nights in Hollywood as last year it was due to firm requirements of COVID testing. Because in comparison to the time since, many of the safe and free COVID vaccines are now widely accessible and mandatory for everything from going out for your job to attending any public events.
Last year in 2021 the ceremony issued very stringent COVID-19 testing and wearing mask rules for the in-person attendants, to make sure to provide a healthy environment regarding COVID safety protocols.
Moreover, many award functions such as Critics Choice, PGA, and AFI Awards, all are rescheduled for March amid Omicron Surge.
As the vaccines for the prevention of the virus are now widely available to the public. Also encouraging people to have proof of vaccination has now become usual in order to attend large gatherings, particularly in Los Angeles.
But, The Hollywood Reporter has got to know that the Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Academy might be thinking of not requiring proof of vaccination if you are to attend this Academy Awards ceremony this year. In place of that, they are planning to mandate a negative rapid antigen test or a negative PCR test given on the event day.
Although it is not a requirement, the Academy will recommend attendants to be vaccinated in order to enter the 2022 Oscars ceremony, but it will also be essential for attendees to get tested before the ceremony for attending, and obviously, the unvaccinated people will have additional and stricter tests requirements.
Under this rule planning, the Academy is precisely fulfilling the “indoor mega-events,” policy of Los Angeles County, on which it requires either a full vaccination proof or negative COVID-19 tests on the day of attendance to all the attendees that are between ages 2 or older.
However, it is notable that the other awards ceremonies happening this year, like the Critics Choice Association and Screen Actors Guild, are still going to require the attendees to give out proof of vaccination in order to attend their events. However, if you don’t want to show vaccination proof, you can watch the Critic Choice Awards from anywhere on CWTV with a VPN.
A representative of the SAG Awards event, which is scheduled on February 27, cited the COVID-19 protocols to THR, mentioned on the website of the organization: “All ticketed attendees will be required to show proof of vaccination plus booster shot (if eligible), proof of negative lab-based COVID-19 PCR test within 48 hours of event, and negative antigen (rapid) test the day of the event.”
Whereas, COO of the Critics Choice Association, Joey Berlin, tells THR, “We will be 100 percent vaccinated and require a negative PCR test within 48 hours of the event. I can’t invite people to a show where they’re not going to feel safe.” The event will be held on March 13.
Some inside resources from the industry have postulated that the Academy is being more lenient than it could be because several prominent industry figures, including one of the acting winners from last year and lead characters of multiple best picture nominations, along with nominees in several other categories, wouldn’t be able to attend the ceremony otherwise.
The indoor mask mandate of L.A. County is still in place and apparently some time away from being lifted. Barbara Ferrer, Public health director, on Tuesday, hinted at omitting extremely low case levels, the latest that masks mandate would likely be eased is late April, well after the Oscars 2022 event date in March.
The Academy hasn’t officially released the COVID-19 policy yet for the upcoming event. Reports suggest that possibly the organizers have decided to take a flexible position on vaccination status as if it is made mandatory, a slew of unvaccinated nominees and presenters might not be able to participate due to their vaccination status.
However, the Academy expects to face considerable backlash from a certain group of the community. While speaking to THR, one highly involved industry insider termed the willingness of Oscars to allow anti-vaxxers as “Shocking.”
