Coachella festival has scrapped its policy of needing a double vaccination for entry to the 2022 edition of the festival.
Back in August, AEG Presents – the company that owns Coachella – said that they would not accept a negative Covid-19 test to allow entry to the festival. Instead, they instead wanted all festival-goers to show proof of a double vaccination.
Now, that decision has been reversed. Writing on their website and social media today (12 October), the festival said they will now allow proof of a negative Covid-19 test for entry, or full vaccination.
The statement said: “After seeing first-hand the low transmission data and successful implementation of safety protocols at our festivals recently, alongside the rising vaccination rate of eligible Americans, we feel confident that we can safely update our policy for Coachella that allows for negative covid test taken within 72 hours of the event OR proof of full vaccination.”
They added: “Our Company Health & Safety Policy & FAQ’s…are regularly updated in consideration for our fans, artists and event workers based on our ever-developing circumstances. Plans and mandates may continue to change. We will continue to update…with developments and more details closer to the festival.”
The 2022 festival is the first since 2019. The festival announced 1 June that it will run on the weekends of 15-17 and 22-24 April at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California.
Coachella had its 2020 festival postponed twice due to the ongoing pandemic, was originally due to take place in April 2021. However, in January 2021, public health officer in charge of Riverside County, where the festival is held, signed a public health order cancelling Coachella as well as its sister festival, Stagecoach.
The full line-up of artists playing at the festival is expected soon.
