Skip To...
The 2022 Oscars are just days away, and the Academy is tightening up on some COVID protocols. The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences sent a letter Friday, March 25th, updating COVID protocols for those attending the 94th Academy Awards ceremony this coming Sunday. These updates have occurred following several COVID cases that occurred after the BAFTAs in London as well as the BA. 2 variant’s increase of infection over the Los Angeles area the past few days.
The BAFTAs COVID Spread and the BA.2 Cases
The BAFTA was held earlier this month, on March 13th, 2022, in London’s Royal Albert Hall. According to an article three days ago from the Independent, the BAFTA’s are accused of being a COVID super-spreader event. The article went on to say,
“An apparent spread of Covid at the Baftas earlier this month has led to concerns that some of the Oscar nominees who were at the event will not make the Academy Awards on Sunday (28 March).”
As far as the other reason for the update in the 2022 Oscars COVID protocols, L.A. County health authorities have reported that the BA.2 variant of COVID is more transmissible than the Omicron variant. However, the number of new infections reported is 734 as of this Thursday. Thankfully in regards to past surges, this number is relatively low.
The Updated 2022 Oscars COVID Protocols
The Academy released in today’s letter that the updates were made in consultation with medical consultants and local authorities and addressed the testing details. The letter includes as follows:
“Those who tested positive for COVID-19 and are within a zero to five-day window from the date of their first positive test are not permitted to attend under any circumstances,”
“Those who tested positive for COVID-19 and are within a six to ten-day window from the date of their first positive test are required to provide proof of negative results from two verified PCR, Lucira or Cue Health COVID-19 tests. These tests may not be taken on the same day and must be administered by a verified, medically trained professional.”
“The ten-day window is strictly determined by the date and time of the first positive test (antigen or PCR) from a printed lab report and is not based on a doctor’s note or start of symptoms. If you tested positive after March 17, 2022 at 1pm PT, you are considered within the ten-day window.”
“If you are outside the ten-day window (you tested positive before March 17, 2022 at 1pm PT) and have tested positive on your PCR test taken on March 24, you must provide proof of negative results from a medically supervised antigen test taken on March 26 or March 27.”
The letter from the Academy concluded to say, “Social distancing and masking are strongly recommended,” the release concluded.” Also, for the 94th Academy Awards, presenters and performers will not be required to show proof of vaccination, but nominees and guests will.
