Questions about Covid Event Planning

Is it allowed to require COVID-19 vaccination to be present at or work at events? Event organizers may choose to confirm COVID-19 vaccination status when selling tickets or allowing entry to an event. When deciding whether to confirm COVID-19 status, organizers must comply with all applicable laws, regulations, and rules. If organizers require COVID-19 vaccination to participate in an event they must do so respectfully to attendees and staff.

Employers may require workers to be vaccinated. You should check with your employer to determine if there are any specific rules.

This event will be open to both fully vaccinated people and those who have not been vaccinated. What are the best prevention strategies?

Event organizers, staff, as well as attendees, who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, should follow CDC’s Interim Public Health Remedies for Fully Vaccinated Persons. Children under 12 years old, as well as those who have not been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 should follow prevention strategies such as wearing masks and physical distancing. To protect all attendees and staff, event organizers may decide to use multiple layers of prevention strategies for an event.

To prevent COVID-19 from spreading, event planners can employ several strategies.

Facilities Key Prevention Strategies

Promote vaccination against COVID-19.
Collaborate with state and local health departments to provide COVID-19 vaccine events.
You can prevent crowding at events by, for instance, changing layouts or installing physical barriers to encourage physical distancing.
When possible, hold events outdoors.
Improve ventilation for indoor events.
To maintain health facilities, conduct regular cleaning.

Key Prevention Strategies for Attendees and Staff:

Make sure attendees and staff wear masks properly and consistently.
Encourage physical distancing.
Encourage attendees and staff to cover their coughs and sneezes, and wash their hands.
Encourage attendees and staff to remain home if they have any symptoms or are sick.
Staff and attendees should inform those who have not been fully vaccinated or have been in close contact with someone suffering from COVID-19 and ask them to get tested for COVID-19.
Conduct contact trace, combined with isolation or quarantine to identify staff members and attendees suffering from COVID-19 symptoms. All steps must be done in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.

Organizers may choose to divide attendees into groups for seating arrangements or activities. Although this can help to limit the spread of COVID-19 among small groups, it shouldn’t replace other preventive measures, such as wearing masks.

What is the safest number of people who can attend a conference or sporting event, concert, or any other community event?

The CDC doesn’t provide numbers for events or gatherings, nor do they give any information about the maximum and a minimum number of people who can attend. Event organizers must work closely with local health officials to determine the best prevention strategies for their region. Event organizers must also monitor community transmission and local COVID-19 vaccine coverage.

Event space should allow those who have not been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, to stay at least six feet from one another indoors. You should also consider other prevention strategies (see FAQ about prevention strategies above), such as wearing masks. People who have not been fully vaccinated in areas of high transmission should be able to use outdoor spaces to avoid being in close proximity to others and to avoid crowds. Because it is more difficult to keep people away from indoor spaces, and because viruses are more likely to spread outdoors than indoors.

The more people interact, the closer they interact and the longer these interactions occur, the greater is the chance of spreading the COVID-19 virus.

Should event organizers screen all staff and attendees for COVID-19? Should temperature screenings and COVID-19 symptoms be done at the door?

Event organizers may want to test all attendees and staff for COVID-19 before they allow them to enter the event. This could help to reduce the risk of infection and increase safety at events.
- Event organizers may be able to exempt fully vaccinated staff and attendees from the screening testing requirement. This is because there is a significantly lower risk of infected individuals who are fully vaccinated.
- It is important to combine entry testing with other preventive measures, such as wearing masks, physical distancing, washing hands, routine cleaning, and disinfecting.
The CDC recommends that health checks be conducted in areas with high to substantial transmission. This includes temperature screening and checking for symptoms.

This post was written by a medical professional at The Wellness Firm. The Wellness Firm services include workplace flu clinics, flu vaccinations, onsite event Covid testing, physical exams for employment, as well as American Heart Association CPR certification classes. Founded by local Firemen, The Wellness Firm has been providing a safer Tampa Bay since 2006.