By NewsDesk  @infectiousdiseasenews

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health said post-Emmy award show 2021 and the unscripted Seth Rogan commentary that the ceremony was compliant with COVID-19 mandates.

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

“LA County’s Health Officer order requires everyone to wear a mask indoors, whether vaccinated or unvaccinated. However, exceptions are made for film, television, and music productions, as additional safety modifications are made for these controlled interactions,” the department said in a statement provided to the Los Angeles Times.

“The Emmy Award Show is a television production, and persons appearing on the show are considered performers. All persons appearing on or in the audience of the Emmy Award Show were fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Also, Public Health was informed that each of these persons had a verified negative PCR test 48 hours prior to the show,” the health department added.

A firestorm brewed on social media after Seth Rogen said during a bit, “Let me start by saying there is way too many of us in this little room! What are we doing?”

“They said this was outdoors! It’s not! They lied to us.”

“We’re in a hermetically sealed tent right now. I would not have come to this. Why is there a roof?”

Rogan’s comments also torqued off  Emmy telecast producers Ian Stewart and Reginald Hudlin who said Rogan went off script.

A day after the Emmys, LA County Public Health published requirements for “indoor mega events”:

As of September 20, the State requires that all attendees at indoor mega events show proof of full vaccination or a negative test result prior to entry. Self-attestation can no longer be used to verify an attendee’s status as fully vaccinated or as proof of a negative COVID-19 test result.

Indoor mega events are events with 1,000 or more attendees indoors and include, conventions, conferences, expos, concerts, shows, nightclubs, sporting events, live entertainment, and festivals.


Acceptable proof of vaccination status includes a photo identification with any one of the following:

  • CDC COVID-19 vaccination record card (white card)
  • World Health Organization (WHO) vaccine record card (yellow card)
  • California Department of Public Health (CDPH) COVID-19 digital vaccination record
  • Other COVID-19 digital vaccination record issued by an approved company
  • Documentation of vaccination from the healthcare provider or entity that provided the COVID-19 vaccines
  • California Immunization Registry (CAIR2) vaccination record

The vaccination proof should include the person’s name, type of COVID-19 vaccine, and the date of the doses administered. The person can show the vaccination card, a photo of the card as a separate document, or a photo of the card stored on a phone or electronic device.

Acceptable proof of a negative test includes a photo identification with testing results that must include the person’s name, type of COVID-19 viral test performed, and negative test result. The date when the COVID-19 test was taken must be within the 72 hours prior to the event. The test results can be a printed copy or on a phone, including an email or text message results from the test provider or laboratory.