Covid vax mandatory for nominees, guests at the Oscars, not for performers

For the nominees and guests attending the 94th Academy Awards, it will be imperative to furnish a proof of vaccination in addition to being tested negative twice through RT-PCR, reports New York Times.

However, those performing and presenting at the awards ceremony, will not need to show the proof of vaccination, but they will still be required to undergo rigorous testing.

A source close to the situation told Variety that the decision to not require proof of vaccination for presenters and performers falls under the Covid return-to-work agreement between the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers and unions.

The agreement allows production companies the option to mandate COVID-19 vaccinations for Zone A -- the production's cast and the crew working closest with the actors -- but it is not a requirement.

A total of 2,500 nominees and guests have been invited to attend the 94th Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre, which has a capacity of over 3,300 people. The mask mandates too will operate differently at different sections of the venue.

According to the Times, guests and nominees seated in the orchestra and parterre sections of the theatre will not be required to wear face masks. However, for those seated in the tightly drawn mezzanine wearing a mask may come across as a necessity.

As per Variety, with the declining trend of Covid cases in the Los Angeles area, other large companies and events are relaxing their Covid policies as well. For instance, as of this week, Disney theme parks allow fully vaccinated guests to give a miss to the face masks.

Coachella too recently announced that the upcoming festival in April won't require proof of Covid vaccination or testing. Meanwhile, Los Angeles is expected to lift its indoor masking mandate in late March -- but whether the rule will kick into action before or after the March 27 event, remains to be seen.