The Los Angeles county department of public health has issued a new order stating that attendees of any major outdoor event will be required to wear a mask – regardless of Covid-19 vaccination status – due to a spike in Covid-19 cases.

From 23:59 on Thursday 19 August, the county’s order will apply to all events with more than 10,000 attendees, such as music or food festivals, car shows, large endurance events, marathons, parades, sporting events and concerts.

The order is to be enforced by the operators of any such event, both verbally and with visible signage at all entry points.

Masks are required to be worn by everyone at all times except when actively eating or drinking at these events, according to the order.

The county order comes after orders issued in July, which reinstated an indoor mask mandate for most public spaces

Head in the Clouds festival, which is set to take place at Brookside at the Rose Bowl 6–7 November is one of the few major music festivals scheduled to take place in LA for the remainder of 2021. But the order will also affect larger venues including the Hollywood Bowl, SoFi Stadium and the Banc of California Stadium, as well as sports venues.

The county order comes after orders issued in July, which reinstated an indoor mask mandate for most public spaces, applying to both major events (defined as those with 5,000 or more attendees) as well as smaller spaces such as restaurants, movie theatres and gyms.

The public health department said that the Delta variant of Covid-19, which is twice as contagious as earlier variants of the virus, is now predominant in LA county. On 16 August, the LA County Public Health reported 2,426 new cases of Covid-19, 1,653 current hospitalisations and five new deaths.

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Music for Music, a new initiative that enables music professionals to market and sell face coverings, has launched to the global music industry.

Described as an affiliate solution that offers “all global music industry professionals a way to help relieve pandemic financial insecurity”, Masks for Music – the initiative of electronic music veteran Lindi Delight and partners –allows individuals, venues, artists, agencies and other music-biz customers to register for a link to sell one of three different packs of masks to their network.

The seller keeps 50% of the proceeds, with 40% (21% for packaging/production costs and 19% for “operational costs”) going to Masks for Music and 10% to music-industry charities.

“Wearing a protective mask in public is set to become more widely adopted and potentially a requirement for future music event attendees. It is great to see the Masks for Music initiative presenting a new potential income opportunity for music artists and those in the industry who wish to engage,” says Greg Marshall of the Association for Electronic Music, which has endorsed Masks for Music.

“It makes sense to buy masks in a way which supports a specific music club, artist, business or individual”

“As so many people will be purchasing protective masks over the coming months, it makes sense to buy them in a way which supports a specific music club, artist, business or individual who may be in need of financial assistance. Masks For Music’s innovative approach presents the opportunity to do just that while also supporting a number of charity options.”

Face masks and coverings have become a new revenue stream for artists and labels amid the coronavirus pandemic, with many selling branded versions featuring their logos and artwork.

“In difficult times, new ideas are what the music industry needs to survive,” says spokesperson for the Alberta Electronic Music Conference, a Masks for Music partner.

“This project is a win for artists, fans and society as a whole. We are happy to support any idea that can allow the world to flatten the curve faster, while supporting artists and music brands during this difficult time.”

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