Guidance for Smaller Events & Cultural Institutions

Risk varies based on the size of an event and whether it occurs indoors or outdoors. Outdoor events and those with lower numbers of attendees pose less of a risk of transmission compared to large, indoor events. Below is a table that describes the different rules that apply based on these two event characteristics.

*A person is fully vaccinated for COVID-19: two weeks or more after they have received their second dose in a 2-dose series (Pfizer or Moderna), two weeks or more after they have received a single-dose vaccine (Johnson and Johnson/Janssen), or two weeks after receipt of another vaccine authorized by the World Health Organization. COVID-19 testing must be conducted on a sample taken within 1 day for an antigen test and within 2 days for a PCR test prior to entry into an event. See the Business Compliance Toolkit for helpful resources on implementing a vaccination requirement for your business. See the Business COVID-19 Safety Compliance Certificate Program website for helpful training materials.

** Indoor events with fewer than 1,000 attendees and outdoor events with 5,000-9,999 attendees held in the city of Los Angeles must comply with the LA City Vaccination Verification Ordinance as described on this page and at the SafePass LA website and FAQ. If you are not sure whether your facility is located in the city of Los Angeles visit https://appcenter.gis.lacounty.gov/districtlocator/ and type in the address where your event will be held.

***Performers may unmask during performances only if they are fully vaccinated and are tested regularly. Testing cadence must be as follows:

• Performers that are up to date on their COVID-19 vaccinations (e.g., fully vaccinated and not yet eligible for a booster, or fully vaccinated and have received a booster dose, if eligible) must be tested once weekly.
• Performers that are fully vaccinated and eligible for a booster dose but have not received one yet must be tested twice weekly.

Attendees

• Indoor events and venues. All persons attending indoor public events and venues are required to wear masks, regardless of vaccination status, except while actively eating and drinking in designated areas.
  • When actively eating and drinking indoors, customers must be seated or positioned at a table, counter, or other stationary location. “Actively eating or drinking” refers to the limited time during which the mask can be briefly removed to eat or drink, after which it must be immediately put back on. The customer must wear a mask indoors whenever they are not actively eating or drinking, such as when they are waiting to be served, between courses or drinks, or while seated after finishing the food or drink.
  • Businesses are encouraged to make masks available to all attendees.
• Outdoor events and venues. For outdoor events with fewer than 10,000 attendees, it is strongly recommended that attendees who are not fully vaccinated wear masks when they are in crowded outdoor settings and when they are in sustained close contact with others whose vaccination status is not known. Additional recommendations:
  • Provide masks at large crowded outdoor events for those who are not fully vaccinated and arrive without them.
  • Require attendees to wear masks when they enter any indoor areas, such as restrooms, restaurants, retail shops, concourses, or concession stands.

Employees*: All employees, regardless of vaccination status, are required to wear masks when working indoors, or when riding in a shared vehicle. Masks need not be worn indoors if the employee is alone in a room or actively eating or drinking. Public Health strongly recommends that all employees who are eating or drinking indoors be spaced at least 6 feet from other persons.

• As soon as practicable, but no later than January 17, 2022, employees who work in an indoor setting where they are in close contact with other employees or customers must be provided with and required to wear a well-fitting medical grade mask, surgical mask, or higher-level respirator, such as an N95 face filtering respirator or KN95, at all times while indoors at the worksite or facility.
• Upon request, employers are required to provide employees who are not fully vaccinated with the correct-size N95 respirator for voluntary use, along with basic instructions on how to use the N95 respirator. Respirators must be replaced if they get damaged, deformed, dirty, or difficult to breathe through. For more information about free and low-cost PPE for businesses and organizations visit: http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/docs/FreeAndLowCostPPE.pdf.
• Consider requiring staff to also wear eye protection in addition to an N95 respirator if they are not fully vaccinated and have frequent close contact with others, in particular, if they work in the food and beverage service areas where customers are actively eating or drinking.
• Performers or presenters must wear face masks indoors except when performing a task that cannot feasibly be done while wearing a mask. When masks cannot be worn, regular testing is required as described in the table above. Please note that performers may not unmask at indoor TK-12 school-sponsored performances or productions.
• See the Los Angeles County Health Officer Order page and the Cal/OSHA Emergency Temporary Standards page for more information about mask and testing requirements. Please note that the directives in the LA County Health Officer Order must be followed when they are more stringent than the Cal/OSHA temporary standards.

• Screen guests, staff, performers, and crew for symptoms before they enter your venue. Ask them not to enter if they have symptoms of COVID-19 or if they are under isolation or quarantine orders.
• Indoor events with fewer than 500 attendees held in the city of Los Angeles must comply with the LA City Vaccination Verification Ordinance as described on this page and at the SafePass LA website and FAQ page.
• Those businesses that are not subject to a vaccination verification requirement should consider implementing a requirement that all visitors present proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 or a pre-entry (diagnostic) test result prior to entry. See the Business Toolkit for Vaccination/Test Requirements for ideas about implementation and the Business COVID-19 Safety Compliance Certificate Program website for helpful training materials.

• Establish procedures to prevent crowding among persons waiting to enter or exit an event or venue.
• Consider implementing timed ticketing to limit the number of visitors on-site at any given time.
• If there are exhibits or attractions inside the venue that might attract crowds of visitors, consider using staff to help direct traffic and limit access if the area becomes too crowded.
• If you serve refreshments at your event, it is particularly important that you reduce crowding and maximize ventilation. Outdoor dining is safest. If indoors, it is strongly recommended that you have a separate area in your venue for drinking and dining to minimize the mixing of people who are wearing masks continuously and those who are removing their masks while they are actively eating or drinking. Diners must be sitting or standing in a stationary place or in their ticketed seat while eating or drinking. Follow DPH Food and Beverage Service recommendations.

• If your event or venue is indoors, make sure your building’s HVAC system is in good, working order.
• Maximize ventilation. Options include installing portable high-efficiency air cleaners, upgrading the building’s air filters to the highest efficiency possible, and making other modifications to increase the quantity of outside air and ventilation in all working areas.
• When weather and working conditions allow, increase fresh outdoor air by opening windows and doors. Consider using fans to increase the effectiveness of open windows – position window fans to blow air outward, not inward. If there are performers, see additional guidance below.
• Decrease occupancy in areas where outdoor ventilation cannot be increased. Consider use of carbon dioxide monitors to monitor the effectiveness of your ventilation in more densely occupied indoor spaces.
• If your event is held indoors and has performers that will generate aerosols (such as singers or musicians playing wind or brass instruments) take the following steps:
  • Assess the direction of the air flow in the room to determine where the air is exiting the room. In buildings with HVAC systems, this will be the air-return vents; if doors or windows are open, check the direction that the air is flowing.
  • During performances (including rehearsals), position aerosol-generating performers closer to the locations where the air is exiting the room.
• See State Interim guidance for Ventilation, Filtration, and Air Quality in Indoor Environments.

• Place handwashing stations or hand sanitizer at entry and outside communal bathrooms with signage promoting use.
• Encourage frequent handwashing.
• Posters in multiple languages that remind people to wash or sanitize their hands and show how to wash their hands are available in the signage section of the Best Practices for Businesses and Employers webpage.

• Assign staff to remind attendees that they must wear a face mask at all times when indoors at events and venues, except when they are actively eating or drinking, as specified above. Event operators are responsible for messaging, signage, and compliance with masking requirements.
• Use advanced registration as much as possible so you know how many people will be on-site or at your event at any given time. Advanced registration can also help you to convey your COVID-19 safety plans to guests before they attend.
• Use your online platforms to communicate your COVID-19 safety policies to the public, including the masking and vaccination requirements.
• Make sure all guests are aware of and follow the Los Angeles County Department of Health Travel Advisory.