Anyone attending a major outdoor event in Los Angeles County will be required to wear a mask, regardless of vaccination status, according to an order issued by the county health department Monday.
A mega event is a gathering of more than 10,000 people outdoors such as a concert, festival or sporting event. The order considers these “higher risk for COVID-19 transmission.” The order went into effect at 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 19.
The only time people in attendance are able to remove their mask is when they are “actively eating and drinking,” which the order clarifies is “limited time during which the mask can be removed briefly.” Masks must be put back on immediately after.
The rule will be in place "until further notice."
The new order followed last month’s reinstating of an indoor mask mandate for the county. Indoor mega events, which consist of a crowd larger than 5,000 people, will require attendees to wear a mask indoors and provide proof of vaccination or a pre-entry negative COVID-19 test.
The order cited the increasing level of COVID-19 transmission in L.A. County as the reason behind the new health order.
The public health order is available to read here.