With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
With No Vax Requirements And Few Masks, Coachella Looks Like A Time Warp
Dylan Minnette of Wallows performs onstage at the Outdoor Theatre during at Coachella on April 16, 2022.
(
Frazer Harrison
/
Getty Images for Coachella
)
Thousands of music and fashion fans have flocked to the desert for the return of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts festival.
The scene is a bit of a time warp; the crowd looks much like it did in the years before the festival's hiatus, with concert-goers decked out in fringe, flower crowns, and very few face masks.
Coachella organizers did not put any requirements in place for attendees to be vaccinated, tested or wear masks. This despite the fact that the omicron variant BA.2 is believed to be the most contagious version of the virus since it spread worldwide in 2020.
Health experts had expressed concern when festival producers removed any requirements for vaccinations, negative tests or masks.
Support for LAist comes from
Andrew Noymer, a UC Irvine epidemiologist and demographer, told us “the wise thing to do would be to require testing and vaccination upon entry.” The reality, he said, is we’re back to “partying like it's 2019.”
“I think it's gonna be a challenge to have our cake and eat it too, in terms of back to normal on the one hand and the fact that COVID is still with us on the other hand.”
According to The Desert Sun, COVID-19 cases increased 77% in the region following the first weekend of the festival. Scottish-American singer-songwriter Bishop Briggs and DJ Satori both had to cancel their performances for the second weekend after testing positive.
In L.A. County public health officials have noted a spike in cases locally, pinning that uptick on the BA.2 variant.
Festivals goers at Coachella on Saturday.
(
Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for Coachella
/
Getty Images North America
)
The weekend scene at Coachella.
(
Matt Winkelmeyer.Getty Images for Coachella
/
Getty Images North America
)
Experts encouraged Coachella attendees to mask both in indoor settings and very crowded outdoor settings. Testing sites were available on site and around the Coachella Valley.
Support for LAist comes from
The festival, which wrapped up its second weekend, sold out well in advance and reportedly drew 750,000 attendees.
On the plus side, Noymer noted that "the crowd at Coachella tends to skew young and vigorous. So a lot of people who may get infected will have asymptomatic cases I would imagine. And a lot of them will go undetected."
— Jackie Fortiér contributed to this story.
Updated April 24, 2022 at 3:43 PM PDT
This story updated with quotes from Andrew Noymer and details about reported infections in Riverside County.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
The Palisades Fire erupted on Jan. 7 and went on to kill 12 people and destroy more than 6,800 homes and buildings. -
People moving to Los Angeles are regularly baffled by the region’s refrigerator-less apartments. They’ll soon be a thing of the past. -
Experts say students shouldn't readily forgo federal aid. But a California-only program may be a good alternative in some cases. -
Distrito Catorce’s Guillermo Piñon says the team no longer reflects his community. A new mural will honor local leaders instead. -
The program is for customers in communities that may not be able to afford turf removal or water-saving upgrades. -
More than half of sales through September have been to corporate developers. Grassroots community efforts continue to work to combat the trend.
Best of LAist