Starting Sept. 20, there will be updated guidelines from the California Department of Public Health regarding "mega events" across the state, including San Diego County.
The CDPH classifies mega events as indoor events of more than 1,000 people or outdoor events of 10,000 people or more.
Per the updated rules from the CDPH, attendees of indoor events will be required to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours. Self-attestation to verify vaccination will no longer be accepted.
Previous CDPH guidelines only asked for self-attestation and it applied to events with crowds larger than 5,000 people.
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It will be recommended that attendees of outdoor events follow those stated guidelines.
Some San Diego residents, including Shelby Wuitschick, feel like the tightening of coronavirus rules around local mega events is important as the county continues to combat the pandemic.
“I’m glad that these precautions are in place and that people are really taking that seriously,” she told NBC 7.
Local Sarena Love agreed.
“I think it’s good that they’re trying to be safe and to make sure that everyone is safe from the virus,” Love told NBC 7. “And there are crowds of people at concerts, so I think it’s a good idea that they make sure that everybody is either vaccinated or they tested negative.”
NBC 7 asked some San Diegans if these new rules will impact their social habits.
“I mean, if I don’t feel comfortable, I would put on my mask and I am vaccinated so I don’t think it would affect me,” said San Diegan Pepe Nevarez.
“If anything, it makes me feel better about going to these events just because I know that there were precautions taken prior,” Wuitschick added.
“I know that events I’ve gone to that have required it I’ve happily shown my vaccination and been totally fine with it.”
The CDPH said these measures for mega events are in effect through Nov. 1, 2021. The department will review the measure by Oct. 15 and, from there, see if further rules are needed after Nov. 1.
Find more guidance on the CDPH's website here.
