PITTSBURGH — With the highly anticipated return to normal activities, the reality of what it has taken for us to get from March 2020 to August 2021 is really setting in. Through it all, I’ve placed a confidence in my faith and the science that has helped us as we’re preserving through pandemic.
For the Willis house, that has meant getting used to wearing masks in most settings. We’re “half vacinated” – three of the six of us are eligible and the others are ready! The biggest change is that we have had to adjust our usually fully packed schedule and haven’t been as “cultural” as we’re used to.
One of the things I’ve realized that we really miss are making it to in person performances. (The last one we were able to attend as a family was Monster Jam in 2020!)
Pittsburgh Cultural Trust: 9/17 – 11/30
The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust has announced what they are doing to keep guests to their indoor performances as safe as they can and yet move forward through November 30, 2021.
According to a press release from Pittsburgh Cultural Trust on August 19:
Masks will also be required inside venues should levels of community COVID-19 transmission in Allegheny County reach ‘substantial’ or ‘high’ as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (status available at: covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#county-view). Some events are subject to exception from this rule and will require audience members to remain masked regardless of community spread. These shows will be noted as such at all points of ticket purchase, alerting buyers of the mask mandate. Ticket buyers will also be contacted by guest services to confirm attendance requirements prior to the event. Real-time vaccination and masking requirements, and any updates, will continue to be available on each organization’s website (listed in boilerplate information).
The vaccine and masking policies begin with the return of indoor performances on September 17, 2021 and are currently set to run at least through November 30, 2021. Health and safety policies will continue to be regularly evaluated and adjusted based on community health data, and public health and government guidance.
Guests will be required to be fully vaccinated with the Moderna, Pfizer, or Johnson & Johnson vaccine and must show proof of vaccination at their time of entry into the theater with their valid ticket and driver’s license or government issued identification. “Fully vaccinated” means that on the date of the performance, a guest has received their second dose of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine, or their single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, at least 14 days prior.
All individuals entering a Cultural District venue must be vaccinated with exceptions for children under the age of 12 and people with a medical condition or closely held religious belief that prevents vaccination. Guests who fall into one of these exception categories must provide proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken within 72 hours of the performance start time, or a negative COVID-19 antigen test taken within 24 hours of the performance start time. COVID-19 tests must be administered by an official testing center. Self-administered tests will not be accepted.
This family is happy for the work the Roadmap to Reopening committee has done here in our city. While these measures might not be the most comfortable, it’s a way we can show how Pittsburgh is preserving through the pandemic.
Click here to read more about how Pittsburgh Cultural Trust is handling the current status of COVID-19.