Coachella 2022 COVID-19 Policy Removed: No Vaccine, Mask, Testing Needed

People hoping to attend this year’s Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival will no longer be required to observe COVID-19 safety measures, the organizers announced Tuesday.

The outdoor music festival is expected to return in April for the first time in two years. Both the 2020 and 2021 editions were canceled due to the surging number of COVID-19 cases. While attendees are encouraged to wear face coverings for the dust, organizers are not requiring festival-goers to wear masks, be vaccinated or be tested for COVID-19.

“In accordance with local guidelines, there will be no vaccination, testing or masking requirements at Coachella 2022,” the festival’s organizers said in a statement.

Despite having no COVID-19 restrictions, the event’s organizers noted that the guidelines could change depending on federal or local mandates or instructions from the artists or promoters. The organizers also noted that they do not guarantee that no one will be exposed to COVID-19 at the festival.

“There is an inherent and elevated risk of exposure to COVID-19 in any public place or place where people are present and there is no guarantee, express or implied, that those attending the festival will not be exposed to COVID-19,” the organizers said.

Coachella will be held on April 15 to 17 and 22 to 24. The music festival will be headlined by Billie Eilish, Harry Styles and Ye and may see up to 125,000 attendees during each weekend.

The new guidelines come after the California Department of Public Health terminated its statewide mask mandates effective Feb. 15 and lifted test requirements for people visiting hospitals and nursing homes. Additionally, proof of vaccination will no longer be required of people attending large outdoor events.

Unvaccinated and vaccinated people are still required to wear masks in some settings, such as in K-12 schools, on public transportation and in healthcare. Unvaccinated attendees of outdoor events also need to wear face coverings when they enter indoor settings, such as restrooms, retail shops or concession stands, the state’s Department of Public Health said in an announcement.

As of Tuesday, California registered a total of 8,259,026 COVID-19 cases and 82,142 deaths.