ACL Fest receives approval of COVID-19 health & safety plan

AUSTIN – As part of the special events permitting process, Austin Public Health reviewed and approved the Austin City Limits Music Festival‘s COVID-19 Health & Safety Plan. The plan was reviewed in accordance with the City and County’s current COVID-19 mitigation requirements.

Even though the Health and Safety Plan was approved, final approval of the event is still contingent on the ability to support the healthcare and safety system.

In coordination with C3 Presents, festival organizer for ACL, the City has approved the following criteria:

• A printed copy of a negative COVID-19 test result will be required to attend ACL Festival 2021. The negative COVID-19 printed test result must be obtained within 72 hours of entering ACL Festival.
• Patrons who are fully vaccinated may show proof of full COVID-19 vaccination instead of proof of negative test. Patrons showing proof of vaccine do not need to be tested to enter ACL Festival. 
• Additionally, organizers must develop strategies for maintaining at least 6 feet of social distancing and include “mask zones” in outdoor event areas where social distancing is not possible. According to Local Order (20210811-033), masks are required at City of Austin or Travis County facilities with exceptions.
• More details on the event’s ACL Festival Fan Health Pledge can be found on ACL Festival website www.aclfestival.com.

“ACL Festival organizers submitted a COVID-19 Health & Safety Plan that is sensitive to the current strain on our healthcare system and includes strategies to reduce the need to transport patients to local hospitals. Additionally, their plan requires masking indoors and in established mask zones, social distancing where possible, and indicates an ability to ensure attendees have a negative COVID test and/or are fully vaccinated,” said Austin Public Health Department Director Adrienne Sturrup.

COVID-19 Special Event Guidance and Permitting Process
At least every 30 days, Austin Center for Events (ACE), which includes Austin Public Health (APH), reviews general COVID safety requirements and updates the guidance accordingly.  An application to conduct a special event can require reviews from up to 12 City departments. Larger events have a greater impact on City facilities, transportation planning, public safety, waste management, and other vital services. ACE does not issue a final special event permit until all reviews are completed, which is often close to an event’s start date as City staff continue to work with applicants to ensure public safety at events. In April 2021, ACE added a new permitting requirement for applicants to submit a COVID-19 Health & Safety Plan. This is just one component of the special events application process.
 
Current Conditions
Public health conditions are straining local medical services, including hospital resources. The strain on local medical services impacts the City’s delivery of emergency-related services and creates a situation where a special event may substantially interfere with the provision of City services required to support government functions, including police, fire, or emergency medical services departments. These impacts may affect the ability of a special events permit to be issued separate of an event’s individual COVID-19 Health & Safety Plan.  

“Nurses, doctors, and health care providers are exhausted but continue to serve our community,” said Austin-Travis County Health Authority, Dr. Desmar Walkes. “We see more people masking and getting vaccinated, and we remain cautiously optimistic that we are slowing the surge.”

About Austin Center for Events
The Austin Center for Events is a collaborative assembly of City of Austin departments designed to streamline special event permitting on public and private property. ACE is anchored by teams from Austin Public Health, Transportation, Parks, Music, Police, Fire, EMS, Code, Austin Resource Recovery, Development Services, and partner agencies and works closely with event organizers to guide them through the special event permitting process.