SACRAMENTO, Calif. - California will require proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test for indoor gatherings with more than 1,000 people, the state Health Department announced Wednesday.
Test results must be submitted within 72 before the event starts.
The new requirement will take effect on Sept. 20. Currently, indoor gatherings with more than 5,000 people are required to self-attest vaccination status.
"The Delta variant has proven to be highly transmissible, making it easier to spread in large crowds where people are near each other for long periods of time," said Dr. Tomás J. Aragón, CDPH Director and State Public Health Officer. "By requiring individuals to be vaccinated, or test negative for COVID-19 at large events, we are decreasing the risk of infection, hospitalization and death."
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This requirement comes after California implemented a series of COVID-19 safety measures, including vaccine verification for all state workers, school staff, and healthcare workers, and universal masking in K-12 settings.
As of Wednesday, 64.7% of the state population are fully vaccinated, according to California state government data.