If you’ve ever wondered where the zombie apocalypse starts, the answer is Coachella. Because according to KTLA, the music festival and its sister show, country music extravaganza Stagecoach, will not require guests to wear masks or be vaccinated against COVID-19.
Shortly after Stagecoach organizers tweeted out a statement making their intentions clear, the Coachella website was also updated to say there would be no extra COVID-19 requirements.
Per the Coachella website: “In accordance with local guidelines, there will be no vaccination, testing or masking requirements at Coachella 2022.”
Really!? Under the best circumstances, Coachella is a hotbed of bacteria and germs, and we all know we are in anything but the best circumstances. The website does note that the event will follow public health guidelines at the time of the event. I guess this means things can change before April, however, once you tell people there are no rules, it’s hard to put that genie back in the bottle.
It’s worth noting that California’s current rules for large outdoor events “strongly recommends” but doesn’t require vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test. Curiously enough, the Coachella website also states that Covid-19 is extremely contagious and can lead to “severe illness and death,” while going on to say “there is no guarantee, express or implied, that those attending the festival will not be exposed to COVID-19.” So, COVID is really bad, and you’ll probably get it, but we’re not doing anything to protect you.
Have fun, enjoy the show!
The ridiculous cherry on top of this ridiculous sundae is that Kanye is one of the headliners this year. It would be so on-brand for Kanye to start the zombie apocalypse. You’ll recall, Kanye recently manifested a beef with fellow headliner Billie Eilish over a perceived diss at Travis Scott. She actually didn’t, but that never stops Kanye. He demanded she apologize or he would drop out of headlining Coachella.
Kanye’s shenanigans aside, this feels like a really dangerous decision on the festival’s part. Not implementing even the bare minimum of protection will lead to problems down the road. We’ve seen it happen over and over with motorcycle rallies, political events and even comic conventions. Large events with no mandates lead to a surge.
Coachella takes place at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, CA April 15-17 and April 22-24, with Stagecoach the following weekend April 29-May 1.
Excuse me while I go stock up on toilet paper and bottled water.