As large-scale events began to return to in person last year and vaccines were rolled out, requiring proof of vaccination or a negative test quickly became the standard across the industry, from Lollapalooza to IMEX. Destinations around the country, including New York and California, implemented strict Covid protocols requiring venues and events to check visitors’/attendees’ proof of vaccination.
Now, as cases continue to decline across the US and the majority of the population is vaccinated, more states and cities are beginning to loosen their restrictions, allowing many events to do the same in another big step in getting back to normal.
Coachella and Stagecoach wasted no time in doing away with vaccine requirements as soon as California changed its entry guidelines for outdoor mega events (gatherings with over 10,000 attendees) from required to strongly recommended last month. And beginning on April 1, California will be further loosening restrictions on events — proof of vaccination for indoor mega events (with over 1,000 attendees) will no longer be required, although it will still be strongly recommended.
New York City finally dropped its mandates earlier this month, leading major venues like the Javits Center to amend their policies as well. The Javits Center currently only requires that staff provide proof of vaccination, but not attendees, allowing many events to remove their mandates as well.
The International Beauty Show, which took place at the Javits Center a week after NYC lifted its restrictions, updated its own policy to no longer require proof of vaccination from attendees. Similarly, the New York International Auto Show, which is returning to NYC in April after a two-year hiatus, and Vision Expo East, which moved to Orlando last year due to strict restrictions on events in New York, will not require that attendees show proof of vaccination, in accordance with Javits Center guidelines.
Events taking part in this year’s first Food & Beverage Industry Week in Las Vegas, including Bar & Restaurant Expo and Pizza Expo, also did not have vaccine mandates. However, other large events, including the HIMSS 22 Conference that took place in Orlando last week, still proceeded with a vaccine requirement.
Attendees will need to continue to be vigilant about health and safety protocols at events as organizers can and will continue to set their own rules, and, as always in this new normal, these policy updates may or may not last as a new Omicron wave may be hitting the US soon, so everyone needs to be prepared for stricter mandates to return at a moment’s notice.
However, for now, fewer government-imposed restrictions will allow for much more leeway and will facilitate the logistics of many events as the industry makes big strides in its recovery moving into Q2 2022.