AUSTIN (Talk1370.com) -- Just more than a week out from its opening weekend, the Austin City Limits Music Festival on Tuesday announced new health protocols in place for the two-week event.
Tuesday's announcement comes following an approval of the event's health protocols by Austin Public Health officials.
While the health and safety plan has been approved, city officials said Tuesday a final special events permit has not yet been issued for the event. "Even though the health and safety plan was approved, final approval of the event is still contingent on the ability to support the health care and safety system," city officials said in a statement.
"The strain on local medical services impacts the city’s delivery of emergency-related services and creates a situation where a special event may substantially interfere with the provision of city services required to support government functions including police, fire or emergency medical services departments," city officials said. "These impacts may affect the ability of a special events permit to be issued separate of an event’s individual COVID-19 health and safety plan."
As previously announced, festival attendees will be required to show either a printed negative COVID-19 test result from within 72 hours, or proof of being fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
A person is considered fully vaccinated 14 days after their second shot of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or a single shot of the Johnson &Johnson vaccine.
"ACL Festival organizers submitted a COVID-19 Health & Safety Plan that is sensitive to the current strain on our healthcare system and includes strategies to reduce the need to transport patients to local hospitals," said APH Interim Director Adrienne Sturrup. "Additionally, their plan requires masking indoors and in established mask zones, social distancing where possible, and indicates an ability to ensure attendees have a negative COVID test and/or are fully vaccinated."
Masking will be required in areas of the festival where it is difficult to maintain social distancing, including on festival shuttle buses, entrance lines, areas closest to the stages, and in the limited indoor areas at the festival, including our on-site merchandise store.
The festival will provide free masks at each entry gate.
Listen on the Audacy app
Sign Up and become a Talk 1370 Insider
Follow us on Facebook & Twitter