The LSU athletic department is lifting some of the COVID-19 protocols that were in place during the football team’s season-opening loss to Mississippi State on Sept. 26.
Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, La., will look different for Saturday’s game against Missouri, as LSU officials announced Monday that they coordinated with state public health officials and the SEC to adjust COVID-19 policies and permit in-stadium alcohol sales. Tailgating still won’t be permitted, while face masks and physical distancing are mandatory in the updated guidelines.
The Advocate originally posted LSU’s protocols in September, while reporting Monday that LSU senior associate athletic director Robert Munson released a statement, saying, “We closely monitored all aspects of game day with the new protocols in place knowing there would be areas for improvement. Among numerous tweaks and adjustments, observations and data gathered from fans highlighted five primary areas for modifications to our procedures and some areas of emphasis for fans.”
The LSU athletic department will no longer require everyone to pass a CDC wellness check before entering the stadium.
“LSU will not require a medical wellness check in order to reduce lines and wait times at gate entry points,” LSU’s release reads. “While no longer required for entry, LSU Athletics officials encourage fans to conduct a self-assessment before heading to the game to check for COVID-19 symptoms.”
The athletic department reminded fans Monday that face masks are mandatory, even when seated, which was a problem at the Mississippi State game.
“LSU Athletics said fans arrived for game one with masks covering the nose and mouth and wore those masks in corridors, concessions and restroom lines,” the release reads. “However, a large percentage of fans removed their masks while in their seats in Tiger Stadium. LSU Athletics is reminding fans to wear their masks while in their seats.”
Fans must also wear their masks when they purchase alcohol, which will be sold in the general and premium areas and can only be consumed while seated.
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