The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, after much inhouse deliberation, has eventually decided on the coronavirus safety protocols for attendees of the Oscars 2022, which is scheduled to be held in Los Angeles on March 27, 2022. As per the agreement, it has been made mandatory for all the 2,500 invited attendees, including all nominees, to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination as well as at least two negative P.C.R. tests.
However, the safety requirements for COVID-19 during the event will vary depending on whether or not the attendees are presenting an award, as only the nominees and audience members are obligated to show the vaccination proof by the Academy. However, it was reported before that no proof of vaccination was required to attend the ceremony.
Presenters and performers must also go through extensive testing, but it’s not mandatory for them to provide proof of vaccination. The decision, as explained by a representative of the Academy on Thursday, was in line with the prevailing virus safety protocols on some TV sets and return-to-work standards mandated by Los Angeles County.
As reported by the New York Times, the non-requirement of vaccination proof for performers and presenters is due to the fact that they are considered part of a TV production crew subject to the Return to Work Agreement that oversees COVID-19 protocols for all TV and film shoots and gives production houses the option to implement vaccine mandates or otherwise.
This is a deviation from the policy that was first revealed by THR on February 9, 2022. As per that report, the Academy was planning to forego the vaccination proof requirement for nominees and guests. Mask wearing requirements will also vary, as reported by NYT, with some of the 2,500 guests at the Dolby Theatre permitted to come without masks and others seated in confined spaces keeping their faces covered. Nominees and their visitors will be seated in parts of the theater with no obligation to wear masks.
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The decision to show the vaccination cards by the majority of the 2,500 attendees of Oscars is a U-turn from last week’s reports that the Academy was contemplating about having no vaccine mandates at all, which attracted repercussions from a number of Academy members. Besides the vaccination cards, audience members will also be required to present proof of at least a couple of negative PCR tests freshly conducted before the event.
According to New York Times, the Oscars will require tests for all and vaccines for most. It was also the requirement of Critics Choice Awards after last year’s cancellation due to COVID-19
Last week, after the emergence of a report in The Hollywood Reporter, which revealed that the Academy was planning to entirely waive off vaccination mandate, the organization came under heavy fire on social media by stars, fans, politicians, and other stakeholders for what was considered as an attempt to oblige unvaccinated celebrities. Seth MacFarlane, the host of the 2013 Oscars, was among those who took to Twitter and censured the Academy.
The new mandate comes amidst a countrywide trend of state and local governments easing or completely alleviating mask mandates and COVID-19 restrictions. While Los Angeles County hasn’t been hastening to uplift those restrictions, this week the Department of Public Health of L.A. county loosened face-covering restrictions for public outdoor gatherings, although these restrictions are still very much in effect for indoor settings.
Other notable award events happening prior to the Oscars including the SAG Awards on February 27, 2022, and the Critics Choice Awards on March 13, 2022, are requiring all of their attendees to show vaccination proof. Joey Berlin, COO of the Critics Choice Association, earlier stated while talking to 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.”
Coronavirus safety requirements have been swiftly changing as infection rates have somewhat decreased. Disney, on Tuesday, relieved its face-covering mandate for fully vaccinated visitors of the theme park in Florida and California. Earlier this week, the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival stated that concert-goers (up to 125,000 attendees per day in the pre-pandemic times) would not be obligated to get tested, vaccinated, or masked.
As per the data collected by the government, as of Thursday, a total of 1,713 COVID-positive cases were hospitalized in Los Angeles County, a decline of 54% since February 1, 2022. Moreover, over the past week, the L.A. county has reported an average of almost 4,100 new reported cases per day, which is a 77% from two weeks ago. Missed out on the other awards? Then you can watch also watch Golden Globes Awards which was held on Sunday, January 9, 2022.
