Penn State Athletics will not require proof of vaccination status or a negative COVID-19 test in order to attending sporting events – including games at Beaver Stadium this upcoming season.
During a Saturday afternoon media session with reporters, Penn State Vice President of Intercollegiate Athletics Sandy Barbour reiterated that the department has no plans to deviate from current CDC masking advisories or require proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test to attend events.
In turn masks will not be required in open air environments. Barbour noted that Penn State considers open air areas to include outdoor seating at Beaver Stadium, tailgating lots and the Beaver Stadium concourse.
“I think Penn State’s done a great job of balancing the health and safety needs, as well as everything else that’s going on in our world right now,” Barbour said.
Masking will still be required for all indoor events at the Bryce Jordan Center, Pegula Ice Arena or any other indoor athletic facilities on campus.
As for Beaver Stadium, Barbour says that Penn State is still planning on hosting capacity crowds this season – a decision reflected in recent ticket sales, but Barbour stated that much like the department’s masking policy, it is theoretically possible that could change if CDC guidance were to be adjusted.
“We’re not going to require masking outdoors unless the CDC were to change its guidance. We certainly will monitor and review that, but if someone feels that’s what they want to do from a health and safety standpoint, wear a mask, that that certainly is encouraged,” Barbour said.
“We have to be conscious,” Barbour added. “It’s no longer COVID as the overarching; it’s, we’re having the event and we’ve got to plug the, the COVID considerations into it. I certainly would encourage as many as (possible), and I know that lots of folks out there are, to be vaccinated, I would encourage folks that want to wear masks to certainly do that. It’s not required (outdoors on campus), but I certainly don’t want someone that wants to wear a mask to feel like they’re going to be looked at strangely.
“That’s completely up to you whether you want to or you don’t want to, and I think we just have to be smart and understand that the virus is with us, and we need to use our good judgment around that, but come to Beaver Stadium and enjoy football Saturday for the first time in a couple years.”
Later on Barbour noted that the Penn State Athletic Department – which she defined as student-athletes and Tier 1 staff – had a vaccination rate of just over 82%. That figure does not include known staff members or student-athletes who had received their first vaccination shot but not their second.
Penn State athletics no longer releases its own weekly COVID-19 testing updates with any positive tests folded into Penn State’s campus wide COVID-19 dashboard. Students began their arrival process back on campus this week.
