Ohio releases public health order on performing arts, other entertainment venues

Credit: HANDOUT

Credit: HANDOUT

Ohio has now officially instituted a public health order allowing performing arts venues and other entertainment venues to reopen, and spelling out requirements and recommendations for operation.

The order, which took effect at 11:59 p.m. Tuesday night, includes many requirements shared with other reopening orders, such as requiring masks, although performers are not required to wear masks during performances, and putting out signs and markings to indicate social distancing.

The order also shares seating requirements applied to sports, which means 1,500 people or 15% of the venue’s seated capacity for outdoor venues, whichever is fewer, or 300 people or 15% of seated capacity for indoor venues, again whichever is fewer.

More specific requirements include having seats be assigned in groups of four people if they aren’t in the same household.

The order also contains several recommendations. These include:

  • Using contact-free ticketing to limit box office congestion
  • Instituting assigned arrival times
  • Blocking unused seats
  • Closing the last row of each section and the aisle seats
  • Beginning seating at least a dozen feet from the stage or performers
  • Eliminating or limiting intermissions

The full text of the document is below.

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