PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Pinellas County government and municipal leaders have issued a new emergency order for large outdoor events.
It says events with 1,000 or more attendees must have a coronavirus safety plan that outlines what organizers are doing to protect both guests and workers from COVID-19.
“Our goal is to help prevent the fast spread of this deadly virus as community events start to pick back up,” said County Administrator Barry A. Burton in a press release. “We have many events happening here and these measures will help ensure we’re as safe as possible until the COVID-19 vaccine is widely made available.”
In the plan, event organizers will need to include how they'll meet criteria such as:
- Face covering requirements (mandatory for all event staff and attendees)
- Caps on attendance numbers to maintain social distancing at all times
- Safe access to and from the event, including screening of staff and individuals for any COVID-19 symptoms
- Signage and communication to participants about the safety requirements
- Sanitation and disinfection requirements
Event organizers must submit their plans ahead of time to the municipality where the event would take place. For unincorporated areas, organizers should contact Pinellas County Government. All events must comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
The emergency order does not apply to events run by schools, religious events that maintain social distancing or public health events like mass vaccinations and testing.
The county says the order will remain in place until there is a consistent reduction in the spread of COVID-19, as well as sufficient vaccines made available to Pinellas County.
