What’s an award season without a little controversy? Beyond some online discourse, there hasn’t been much for the 2021-2022 season. That changed on Wednesday with a surprising report the Oscars will not be requiring attendees to be vaccinated.
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According to The Hollywood Reporter, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is currently planning on only requiring a negative PCR or antigen test on the day of the event which will return to the Dolby Theater in Hollywood for the first time since February 2020. Technically, the Academy is adhering to current LA County health protocols. For example, if you were attending an event at the Forum or the recently renamed Cyrpto.com Arena you would need either proof of full vaccination, a negative antigen test one day before, or a negative PCR test two days prior. Those venues are currently required to have any attendee over two years old wear a mask unless eating or drinking.
The Academy has not publicly commented on the report, but there has already been considerable reaction online over the revelation. Especially as the upcoming SAG Awards and Critics Choice Awards are requiring both vaccination and a negative test. In September, the Emmy Awards also required attendees to be both vaccinated and provide a negative test.
There is speculation that either major nominees this year or previous winners are not vaccinated and the Academy does not want to embarrass them by excluding them from the event. Whether member pushback allows this policy to hold remains to be seen.
It should also be noted, this potential decision comes after California Governor Gavin Newsom announced the state would allow an indoor mask mandate for vaccinated residents to expire on Feb. 15. That mandate does not adhere to LA County rules and public health officials say they expect masking for indoor events to remain for the foreseeable future. How that will affect the Oscars ceremony without vaccination, no less, remains to be seen.
The 94th Academy Awards are scheduled to occur on March 27.
