CLEVELAND — Amid a rise in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, officials from Cuyahoga County Board of Health are encouraging entertainment venues to mandate proof of COVID-19 vaccine or tests. 

What You Need To Know

  • Cuyahoga County officials urged entertainment venues to require vaccinations for entry

  • Several local theaters have required COVID-19 vaccines, or proof of negative test for entry

  • Other large venues have implemented mask requirements, but have eschewed requiring vaccines, or proof of negative test

  • COVID-19 related hospitalizations reached an all-time high in northeast Ohio on Wednesday

During a news conference Wednesday, Board of Health Commissioner Terry Allan highlighted Playhouse Square’s policy, which requires visitors to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative test. The theater also requires guests to wear masks during performances. 

“I would like to offer specific thanks to Playhouse Square and other theater venues that require proof of vaccination to attend,” Allan said. “If you think about it, these are environments that have a lot of people close together and they’re sitting next to each other for long periods of time.” 

Other venues in the county, including the House of Blues and the Agora have similar requirements. 

“We would encourage other entertainment venues to follow their leadership in requiring proof of vaccination for entry,” Allan said. 

While several large arenas throughout the U.S. have required proof of COVID-19 vaccine or negative test, Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse has not implemented such requirements for Cavaliers, or Monsters games. The venue, however, began requiring fans to wear masks during games, which ushers were actively enforcing during the New Year’s weekend Cavs games. 

Cleveland State’s Wolstein Center also does not have a vaccine or test requirement, but has required masks for Vikings games this season. 

Allan noted that COVID-19 testing is becoming more readily available as the area’s mass-testing site in University Circle now offers same-day appointments. 

A record 1,754 COVID patients were hospitalized with COVID-19 in northeast Ohio, which includes several surrounding counties, according to the Ohio Hospital Association. The record for hospitalizations during the December 2020 surge was 1,064.

Local health officials reiterated that the majority of those hospitalized with COVID-19 in Cuyahoga County were among those who have not been vaccinated. 

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