Broadway theaters will continue to require proof of vaccination and masks for theatergoers through April 30, 2022.
The Broadway League delayed making any decisions on future protocols until April 15.
“The Committee of theatre owners announced today that they are continuing with the current protocols in effect [through] April 30. They are monitoring the science and have decided to wait until April 15, at which time they will affirm the protocols beyond April 30,” said Broadway League President Charlotte St. Martin.
The delay comes as the number of positive COVID-19 cases in the city are on the rise, increasing to 2.67% over the last seven days as the new BA.2 variant takes hold. Manhattan has the highest transmission rate of all boroughs.
Mayor Eric Adams removed the city’s vaccine requirement for indoor venues, restaurants and other establishments last month, but said those requirements could be re-instituted if cases rise again. Individual businesses can choose to set their own policies.
Adams had been planning to soon remove the mask mandate for children under the age of 5, an age group that is not yet eligible to be vaccinated, but reserved his decision Friday, citing the rise in COVID-19 cases in the city.
Broadway was one of the first industries to announce a mask and vaccination policy. The policy has been in place since July 30, 2021, which came before the city’s Key-to-NYC vaccination mandate.
