California health officials gave out-of-state music fans a shot of good news on Wednesday, April 21, announcing that if they are fully vaccinated they now are welcome to attend shows in California.
A new revision to state guidelines known as the Blueprint for a Safer Economy “permits fully vaccinated people from out of state to participate in activities restricted to in-state visitors,” an unidentified spokesperson for the California Department of Public Health said in an email. “This includes concert venues.”
(The revision also allows out-of-staters to attend California theme parks, the department also confirmed on Wednesday.)
For now, the number of people who can attend a concert in California remains limited by how serious the COVID-19 pandemic remains within its borders. Depending on the size of a venue, which color-coded tier it falls within, and the vaccination status of attendees, attendance ranges from 10-50% of its usual capacity.
Music venues must also still follow the coronavirus safety guidelines for each color-coded COVID tier, such as wearing masks and maintaining social distance.
On June 15, the state plans to drop the rules and regulations in the color-coded tiers, and allow most business to return to pre-pandemic operations as longs as basic health and safety measures remain in place.
Based on statements from health officials on Wednesday, that appears to open the turnstiles to full capacity concerts in California again. Even so, earlier this month some local concert and venue officials said they do not plan to do so immediately.
Asked whether any of the current caps on attendance will remain after June 15, the California Department of Public Health spokesperson said they would not.
“When California fully reopens the economy, all stay-at-home orders will be lifted and the Blueprint for a Safer Economy will end,” according to the email reply from state health officials. “However, common-sense health measures such as masking will remain across the state. Testing or vaccination verification requirements will remain in relevant settings.”
The email said if or when new guidelines for concerts are adopted the state will announce them to the public but did not elaborate on whether or not concerts were settings that required testing or proof of vaccination.
The official’s email also referred reporters to a document on the department’s website about its plans for life in California after the Blueprint for a Safer Economy is retired on June 15.
In it, the department states that all activities currently listed in the Blueprint — including indoor and outdoor seated concerts and live performances — “may return to usual operations … with limited public health restrictions, such as masking, testing, and testing or vaccination verification requirements for large-scale higher-risk events.”
Neither the emailed response from the state nor the document specifically addressed general admission music festivals. The document, though, noted that conventions will be capped at 5,000 people until Oct. 1 unless all are tested or have proof of vaccination.
