Indoor concerts, theaters and other private gatherings may start up again in California beginning on April 15, the state’s Department of Public Heath announced on Friday.
However, to attend the reopened events indoors, people will need to prove they have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or be tested for the virus. The number of guests allowed at the event or gathering will also depend on which four-color restriction tier the specific county is in.
Los Angeles is currently in the Orange Tier, which loosens some of the restrictions and increases audience capacity from the county’s previous Red Tier. The orange tier allows indoor activities with up to 150 people who have been vaccinated or show proof of testing.
Beginning April 15, outdoor gatherings of up to 50 people are allowed for counties in the Red Tier, and that bumps up to 100 people for the Orange Tier and 200 people in the Yellow Tier. Indoor gatherings are still discouraged while the pandemic continues, but the Red, Orange and Yellow Tiers all allow for modifications and capacity limits. In the Purple Tier, the most restrictive, only outdoor gatherings are allowed, and they are limited to only three households.
The California Department of Public Health also recommends that private events or meetings, such as conferences or receptions, use pre-purchased tickets, defined guest lists and assigned seating to reduce exposure risk. Indoor live events, performances and concerts will also be allowed with physical distancing, advance ticket purchases, designated areas for eating and drinking and attendance limited to in-state visitors.
Also on April 15, California residents ages 16 and up will be eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced last week. Vaccine eligibility for California residents ages 50 and older began on April 1. In late March, Newsom said that he expects California to receive 2.5 million doses a week in the first half of April and more than 3 million a week in the second half of the month.
