Oscars announce Covid measures

The Academy Awards this year will require all nominees and guests to provide proof of Covid-19 vaccination and pass at least two PCR tests in order to attend the ceremony. Meanwhile, performers and presenters will not be forced to show any such evidence, but will instead be rigorously tested.

This update comes after it was initially reported by the Hollywood Reporter that the Oscars would not require attendees to provide proof of inoculation, which drew a lot of criticism on social media, with some calling it an effort to accommodate unvaccinated celebrities.

However, it’s now been clarified that the lack of a vaccine requirement will apply only to staff, performers and presenters, as it falls under the return-to-work protocols set by Los Angeles County, and an agreement between entertainment industry unions and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which gives production companies the choice whether or not to mandate Covid-19 vaccines for cast and crew. Organizations like the Academy also separate productions into zones, with varying safety requirements for cast and crew depending on how closely they have to work together.

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It’s expected that some 2,500 nominees and guests will be attending this year’s Oscars on March 27 at the Dolby Theater in LA. As reported by The Times, guests seated in the orchestra and parterre areas will not be required to wear a face mask during the event, but those seated in the mezzanine area might face a mask requirement as they will be sitting shoulder-to-shoulder.

The Los Angeles area has begun to loosen its Covid-19 policies as cases have been declining in recent weeks, with Disney theme parks dropping mask requirements for the fully vaccinated, while the upcoming Coachella music festival has announced it will not require proof of vaccination, testing, or masks for attendees.