Live concert in Coachella among first in-person events to rollout as pandemic-era restrictions relax

Nurture the Vote live concert is set to kick off today at 4:30 p.m. in Coachella and will be accompanied with food, and a multitude of local musicians. The Inland Congregations United for Change (ICUC) will host the event, which aims at increasing voter engagement in the Coachella Valley. Organizers said the concert "is meant to entice the local community to register and vote through using arts and culture as a tool of engagement."

The concert is among a series of events now being held as pandemic-era restrictions roll back statewide. Gov. Gavin Newsom has announced that by June 15 the state is on track to pull back the mask mandate and return to several pre-pandemic practices with the exception of large gatherings.

As of right now the state's mask mandate are as follows:

1. For fully vaccinated persons, face coverings are not required outdoors except when attending crowded outdoor events, such as live performances, parades, fairs, festivals, sports events, or other similar settings.
2. For unvaccinated persons, face coverings are required outdoors any time physical distancing cannot be maintained, including when attending crowded outdoor events, such as live performances, parades, fairs, festivals, sports events, or other similar settings. 
3. In indoor settings outside of one's home, including public transportation, face coverings continue to be required regardless of vaccination status, except as outlined below.
4. As defined in the CDPH Fully Vaccinated Persons Guidance, fully vaccinated people can*:
   • Visit, without wearing masks or physical distancing, with other fully vaccinated people in indoor or outdoor settings; and
   • Visit, without wearing masks or physical distancing, with unvaccinated people (including children) from a single household who are at low risk for severe COVID-19 disease in indoor and outdoor settings
5. Exemptions:

• The following specific settings are exempt from face covering requirements:
  • Persons in a car alone or solely with members of their own household,
  • Persons who are working alone in a closed office or room,
  • Persons who are obtaining a medical or cosmetic service involving the nose or face for which temporary removal of the face covering is necessary to perform the service,

• Workers who wear respiratory protection, or
• Persons who are specifically exempted from wearing face coverings by other CDPH guidance.
• The following individuals are exempt from wearing face coverings at all times:
  • Persons younger than two years old. Very young children must not wear a face covering because of the risk of suffocation.
  • Persons with a medical condition, mental health condition, or disability that prevents wearing a face covering. This includes persons with a medical condition for whom wearing a face covering could obstruct breathing or who are unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise unable to remove a face covering without assistance.*
  • Persons who are hearing impaired, or communicating with a person who is hearing impaired, where the ability to see the mouth is essential for communication.
  • Persons for whom wearing a face covering would create a risk to the person related to their work, as determined by local, state, or federal regulators or workplace safety guidelines.

The table below reflects some of the latest changes to take place on June 15.

Coming up at 4:30 p.m. and later tonight hear from concertgoers and organizers about some of the newest changes.