CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Orchestra has announced an updated health and safety policy that will require all audiences ages 12 and over to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. The updated policies will apply to all guests at all concerts and events at Severance Hall beginning Wednesday, September 15. Starting on that day, everyone coming to Severance Hall to attend concerts or events will also be required to wear a mask.
Guests will need to provide proof of full Covid-19 vaccination or, if they cannot be vaccinated, a negative COVID-19 PCR test completed within 72 hours prior to entering the building. Guests who are unable to provide verification of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 PCR test may contact the Ticket Office to discuss flexible options for their tickets or request a full refund of their purchase.
The Cleveland Orchestra says these new requirements were developed in response to the rise in the number of COVID-19 cases due to the highly contagious Delta variant, and they will remain in place until further notice.
“Severance Hall is coming to life again and we are working diligently to prepare for the Orchestra’s return to live, in-person concerts this fall with Music Director Franz Welser-Möst,“ said André Gremillet, President & CEO of The Cleveland Orchestra in a statement. “We are eager to welcome our audiences for our first public concerts in over 18 months at Severance Hall. As we collectively continue to face this pandemic, we have given serious consideration to all aspects of this constantly evolving situation, and we developed this policy in consultation with our partners at the Cleveland Clinic.
“We strongly believe that the policies we are putting in place are essential to ensure the health and well-being of musicians performing on stage, the staff and volunteers who help make concerts and events possible, and our audience members who trust us to provide them with a safe environment when they come to our hall to hear great music. We remain extremely grateful to all our audience members for their understanding, and for their flexibility, so that we can come together once again to enjoy the extraordinary power of live music inside Severance Hall.”
You can read the Cleveland Orchestra's COVID-19 health and safety policy here. You can also see the video announcement from André Gremillet, President & CEO of The Cleveland Orchestra below.
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