We just had to say that again …
Thank you for your continued support, Penguins fans.
We can’t wait to see you tomorrow night. pic.twitter.com/f3KGjhHWR0
– Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) March 4, 2021
The Pittsburgh Penguins this week became the city’s first professional sports team to greet fans since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, two stories emerged that highlighted an ongoing point of contention: the correct use of masks in games.
The penguins, who will be playing at home again tomorrow and Sunday, have reopened the PPG Paints Arena with a capacity of 15%. Applicable health and safety regulations include: All guests over 2 years of age must wear a mask at all times, except when actively eating and drinking.
Masks must be worn over the nose and mouth (wearing a mask that does not cover the nose will not protect the wearer or otherwise) and clothing such as gaiters and bandanas that have been found to be less effective than normal masks are not allowed.
A photo of fans at Tuesday’s game, retweeted from the team’s social media accounts, has been digitally altered to reflect the proper use of the mask. The team later apologized for the change, saying that fan photos should not be treated for some reason. According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Three fans pictured in the photo did not wear proper masks.
Last night, CBS Pittsburgh reported 17 fans were excluded from Thursday night’s game for refusing to properly wear masks.
While the return to live sports is rightly causing excitement among sports fans in Pittsburgh, the penguins’ compliance with the mask policy reflects the ongoing state of the COVID-19 pandemic in Allegheny County. According to a survey by the New York Times on infection numbers and positive test rates Individuals in the county remain at “very high risk” for reporting COVID-19. This status is below the “extremely high risk” peak in mid-winter, but is still higher than in neighboring counties and other areas with fewer cases.
The guidelines, developed with the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, state that, based on current infection rates in Allegheny County, “Weddings, funerals, concerts, sporting events, and other multi-household gatherings are places where COVID can spread easily. “
PHOTO BY SEAN COLLIER
In addition to the mask requirements, a few other important changes and protocols apply in the PPG Paints Arena.
The ticketing for the arena is now only possible for mobile phones. Digital tickets are displayed via ticketing apps or the penguins website. No physical tickets, printouts or screenshots will be accepted. (Fans without a digital ticket will be forwarded to the box office for support.)
The arena has also been converted into a cashless system for food and merchandise. Concessions, many of which are available at new self-service locations across the arena, can be paid for with credit or debit cards, or Apple and Google Pay services. Fans can convert cash into toll-free prepaid Visa cards at several “reverse ATM” locations throughout the arena.
In addition, no bags – other than approved medical bags and diaper bags – are permitted in the arena.
To better reduce the flow of traffic in the halls, the arena has added recommended entry times and gates to the “Know Before You Go” section on its website. Not only will this guide better prepare the arena for COVID-19 security, but it also comes with an added benefit: you don’t have to wait to get into the game.
And if you’re looking for more good news, parking should be a breeze with 15% capacity.
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