Louisiana State to require proof of vaccination or negative COVID-19 test for fans as young as 12 at football games in 2021 and masks for children between the ages of 6 and 11
Fans planning to attend Louisiana State football games at Tiger Stadium are required to test negative for COVID-19 or show proof of vaccination status.
The policy will be in effect starting with the home opener in Baton Rouge on September 11.
'With the significant threat presented by COVID-19 across the state of Louisiana due to the highly transmissible Delta variant, LSU will require all Tiger Stadium guests 12 years of age and older to provide proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken within 72 hours prior to entry,' LSU announced Tuesday in a release.
Fans planning to attend Louisiana State football games at Tiger Stadium are required to test negative for COVID-19 or show proof of vaccination status
Fans watch the game from the stands during a game between the LSU Tigers and the Auburn Tigers in Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on October 26, 2019
'The decision comes after consultation with - and support from - Governor John Bel Edwards, LSU President William F. Tate IV, LSU's Board of Supervisors, Tiger Athletic Foundation, and Director of Athletics Scott Woodward.'
There is no formal policy in place for Southeastern Conference football programs, but reports indicate commissioner Greg Sankey could recommend the policy throughout the league.
Masks are required for children ages 6 to 11 and 'recommended' for all children.
'We have the best fans in college football, and we are doing everything we can to ensure their experience in Tiger Stadium this fall is safe and enjoyable,' athletic director Scott Woodward said.
'When our fans arrive on Saturdays to cheer on the Tigers, they will have confidence that we have taken measures to mitigate their health risks. Our football team has reached 99.1 percent vaccination, and we are incredibly proud of them for doing their part to protect their team and their community. We are confident our fans will do the same, and I encourage all Tiger fans to receive vaccinations today.'
Louisiana announced 3,814 new confirmed or probable cases of COVID-19 statewide on Tuesday, as well as 139 confirmed or probable virus-related deaths.
Currently the state has 2,856 patients hospitalized due to COVID-19.
LSU students have until September 10 to prove they have received at least one of the two doses of a vaccine. They have until October 15 to submit proof of full vaccination.
Head Coach Ed Orgeron, Damone Clark #18, and Jordan Toles #21 of the LSU Tigers speak following a play during the spring game at Tiger Stadium on April 17, 2021 in Baton Rouge