LSU says it is lifting its COVID-19 protocols for football games at Tiger Stadium.
Officials say that with the consistent and significant decline in COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations across the state of Louisiana and in the Baton Rouge area, LSU will lift its COVID-19 entrance protocols for football games in Tiger Stadium, beginning with the Tigers’ Oct. 16 game against Florida.
In accordance with state and campus guidelines, all guests will still be required to wear masks in the indoor areas of the stadium, they say.
“The COVID-19 rates in Louisiana have dropped dramatically across the state over the last couple of weeks, and today, the state has a positivity rate below five percent,” said Dr. Catherine O’Neal, Chief Medical Officer at Our Lady of the Lake Hospital in Baton Rouge and a member of the SEC’s Return to Activity and Medical Guidance Task Force. “Because of this success, we are able to lift the vaccine and testing requirements for entry into Tiger Stadium. By balancing mitigation efforts and risk in the ongoing fight to end the pandemic, we can protect our community and safely celebrate the traditions that bring us together.”
Beginning Oct. 16, guests will no longer be required to provide proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test upon entrance to Tiger Stadium. Gameday testing, fast pass preverification, and all other entrance-related procedures will no longer be in place, and masks will no longer be required in outdoor locations of the stadium for guests under 12 years of age.
“We cannot thank our fans enough for stepping up to help stop the spread while still supporting the Tigers,” LSU Athletics Director Scott Woodward said. “Their commitment to protecting our community and supporting our student-athletes has never wavered. We remain fully committed to providing a gameday experience that is as safe and as enjoyable as possible for all guests, and we will continue to work with University leadership and rely on medical expertise to ensure we are taking reasonable and necessary precautions to protect the health of our community.”
COVID-19 in Louisiana has consistently and continually declined in recent weeks. Hospitalizations have decreased by 80 percent over the past seven weeks, and the state’s percent positivity is less than five percent, well below its August peak near 16 percent. Since August 1, the state’s vaccination rate has increased by 23 percent, with now more than 2.1 million Louisianans fully vaccinated.
“This is amazing progress,” Dr. O’Neal said. “But the game is not over. This virus will surge again, and Louisiana must be prepared before it arrives yet again by getting vaccinated. The vaccines we have are safe and effective, and getting vaccinated is our best shot at defeating COVID-19.”