Nevada County Public Health Officer Dr. Scott Kellermann has issued an amendment to his Aug. 25 order, removing limits on events while leaving masking requirements in place.

The amended order went into effect at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday.

The amended order removes the local prohibition on indoor and outdoor gatherings or events where 2,500 or more people will be in attendance. It also rescinds the requirement that events with 500 attendees or more develop and implement a plan to verify vaccination status or proof of a negative test.

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However, masking indoors regardless of vaccination status is still required, as well as masking outdoors where distancing is not possible.

According to Kellermann, the amended order allows event organizers to follow state guidance on events while leaving the local masking requirements in place.

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“Masks are a simple and effective way to control the spread of the virus. We still have widespread transmission of COVID-19 in Nevada County and masking will help decrease the spread as the weather turns cold and more people gather indoors,” Kellermann said in a news release.

While the indoor mask mandate remains in place in Nevada County, Kellermann has made an exception for performers. The amended order, “allows performers who are fully vaccinated and have had a negative test for COVID-19 within 24 hours of their performance to not wear a mask while singing or performing.”

The order encourages those who wish to sponsor safe events to continue to require proof of vaccination or a negative test for COVID-19 within 72 hours, regardless of the number of people attending the event. Patrons can now get a digital copy of their COVID-19 vaccine record to simplify the proof of vaccination process.

Kellermann noted that many local businesses and event organizers have voluntarily implemented their own similar requirements to keep their customers and patrons safe.

“Our arts organizations have led the way on providing safe events for the community. We believe this change will decrease confusion between local and state requirements and allow our businesses and venues to plan for future events,” said Kellermann.

The amended order comes as COVID-19 cases plateau in Nevada County. As of Monday, the seven-day average case rate was 18.2 per 100,000 people, and hospitalizations for COVID-19 have remained stable over the past month. The public health officer will continue to assess the public health situation as it evolves and may modify or issue additional orders as circumstances change.

Source: Nevada County Health and Human Services Agency