In a sign of the times, fans headed to downtown Tampa to see Harry Styles this fall will need to bring along a vaccination record or proof of negative COVID test.
A press release from Live Nation and Vinik Sports group announced the change for the U.K. pop star’s Oct. 10 concert at Amalie Arena, saying, “Requiring testing, or proof of vaccination, is the best way to protect the health and safety of our crew and fans, and is quickly becoming the new standard for concerts around the US.”
The negative COVID test must come within 48 hours prior to entry, and masks are required no matter what. Kids under 12 have not yet been approved to take the COVID-19 vaccine, but may attend the show with a 48 hour negative test.
The same policy applies at Styles’ other Florida shows (Oct. 7 in Orlando and Oct. 8 in Ft. Lauderdale), but isn’t as strict as his shows in New York City and San Jose where only full vaccination gets you in.
The news comes after fans of Dead & Co.—set to play a local Live Nation venue on Oct. 7—sent Creative Loafing emails from Ticketmaster saying they would have to be fully vaccinated to enter the general admission pit area at MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre.
Gov. Ron DeSantis’ executive order actually bans requiring customers to provide proof they’ve gotten a COVID-19 vaccine, but the Sharon Kennedy Wynne recently reported that there are loopholes that businesses can use without defying the order.
So, yeah, stop you're crying, it's a sign of the times, people.
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This article appears in Aug 19-25, 2021.