Fresno State sets COVID safety rules at Bulldog Stadium. Here’s what fans are asked to do
Fresno State will ask fans to mask up when the Bulldogs open the 2021 football season against UConn on Aug. 28 in accordance with state and county guidelines, and in effort to protect those in attendance from COVID-19 and a Delta variant that has been driving new cases, hospitalizations and deaths in the state and across the country.
“Right now for all of our mega outdoor events and football would fit into that category, we will have all the proper signage in place that basically says anybody coming into the stadium who is unvaccinated needs to wear their face covering at all times and anyone who is vaccinated does not have to wear their face covering,” university vice president for administration Debbie Adishian-Astone said. “But we are strongly encouraging everyone to wear their face coverings regardless of their vaccination status.
“Many counties and even cities are already changing their requirement for the wearing of masks indoors. Outdoors, we know there’s of course a different standard, but in consultation with our local health department we’re just really trying to do everything that we can to keep our fans and our student-athletes safe.”
While face masks for the unvaccinated are mandatory, the university will not be asking for proof of vaccination status for those entering Bulldog Stadium, instead using an honor system.
It will have face masks available as well as hand sanitizers available.
Fresno County through Tuesday had a seven-day test positivity rate of 8%, an increase of 1.5% over the previous seven days, according to CDPH data. There were 132 new cases, and 12.4 per 100,000. That is down from 16.1 at the end of July, but still higher than it has been since early March.
In the county, 57.6% of residents 12 years old and older have had at least one vaccination shot.
Bulldogs have high vaccination rate
The Bulldogs football team has one of the highest vaccination rates in the Mountain West Conference, after a 2020 season they had to cancel rivalry games against San Jose State and San Diego State due to positive coronavirus tests or contact tracing protocols.
Playing in front of fans even in masks is better than playing in front of cardboard cutouts of fans, which it did last season in its two home games against Hawaii and Colorado State.
“We’re just trying to be as safe as possible, without impacting the fan experience, but at the same time, ensuring that we have a safe experience for our community and for our fans,” Adishian-Astone said.
“There’s no perfect system, and the Fresno County Department of Public Health feels we are doing everything that they would recommend. If things change in the county or the state, we’ll have to adjust, but right now we’re continuing to follow the guidelines for outdoor mega events.”
The CDPH guidelines for mega outdoor events (10,000 or more people) recommend attendees confirm proof of vaccination or negative COVID-19 status, and that all attendees follow its guidance for the use of face coverings. It is expected to review its recommendations by Sept. 1.
The Bulldogs after opening the season against UConn (11 a.m., CBS Sports Network) are scheduled to play home games on Sept. 11 against Cal Poly (7 p.m., CW59), Sept. 24 against UNLV in their Mountain West Conference opener, Oct. 23 against Nevada, Nov. 6 against Boise State and Nov. 13 against New Mexico.