Fans of outdoor entertainment now will be able to attend performances under certain guidelines released yesterday by the county.
Audiences will be limited to 50 attendees, who must buy tickets in advance and will have to maintain social distancing (at least six feet) from those who are not part of the same household.
One member of each attending party will be required to provide contact information in case they need to be reached for contact tracing. In addition, guests will be surveyed about their health status upon entering the venue.
Face masks will have to be worn by all guests and staff at all times.
Each venue looking to host performances must apply for a letter of approval from the county. As part of the approval process, the venue’s management must submit a plan describing how they will protect performers’ health and safety. The county is recommending that organizers follow the guidelines produced by SAG-AFTRA, according to a press release.
In addition, the venue must designate a COVID-19 response coordinator or safety officer to oversee the guidelines.
Performers will be required to undergo a COVID-19 test prior to a show or shows, and have temperature checks before each performance.
All staff at the venue will have temperature checks prior to each day of a performance, and the venue’s surfaces and common areas must be sanitized after each show.
Finally, ticket holders can expect to be contacted electronically after the show and requested to report COVID-19 symptoms from anyone in their party to the venue staff. Any reports from guests, performers, staff or crew must be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services’ Disease Control Office, the announcement said.
“Our goal throughout the pandemic has been to make the safety and health of residents be the priority in our decisions,” said Dr. Travis Gayles, the county’s health officer in the release. “We believe these actions will help us continue our efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19 while helping the community move towards the reopening of our economy.”
Montgomery County graphic