California will lift a rule that requires attendees to show proof of vaccination against Coronavirus or a recent negative test as a condition for entry at indoor events hosting over 1,000 people.
According to the California Department of Public Health, the state requirement will turn into a strong recommendation on April 1.
Updated guidance of the California Department of Public Health reads, “operators will be urged to screen guests as indoor mega-events continue to involve several factors that increase the risk of transmission of COVID-19”.
The CDPH said these recommendations will continue to be updated as they continue to assess conditions on an ongoing basis.
“California must be vigilant to maintain situational awareness through surveillance and be ready to pause or reinstate a higher level of protective mitigation recommendations or requirements,” CDPH officials wrote.
Under the updated guidance, counties will now have to decide whether to align with the state guidance or keep their local verification mandate. The CDPH acknowledged that while case rates and hospitalizations are declining statewide from their peak during the Omicron surge, Indoor Mega Events continue to involve several factors that increase the risk of transmission of COVID-19.
The announcement comes merely a few weeks after Gov. Gavin Newsom drops virtually all of its mandatory measures imposed to reduce the transmission of COVID-19.
California has been under a state of emergency since March 2020, and Newsom had issued 561 orders since then. Nineteen of the newly lifted orders were effective immediately, and an additional 33 were left to expire in the next few months.
Eighteen of those will be lifted on March 31 and 15 will expire on June 30, the officials said.
