Bills to allow 100 percent capacity in 2021, but fans must be fully vaccinated to attend
Buffalo Bills fans, rejoice! Suplexing each other through tables is officially back. The Bills have been cleared to host fans at 100 percent capacity next season. As long as you are fully vaccinated, you can watch the Bills in Buffalo in person, according to Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz.
Poloncarz held a news conference Tuesday stating he hopes to have 100 percent fans at Bills and Buffalo Sabres games in 2021. Poloncarz revealed his plans for fan attendance on a slide. One of the bullet points read, "No vaccine = No entry." Poloncarz said he spoke to the Bills about the decision, and believes they are on board.
Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz says all fans will need to be vaccinated to attend Buffalo #Bills games this season.
"No Vaccine = No Entry" per his slide. He says he has talked to the Bills about this. pic.twitter.com/VquVPkTJxK— Nick Veronica (@NickVeronica) April 13, 2021
Poloncarz added that citizens can decide for themselves whether they want to get the vaccine, but it will be necessary if they want to attend a Bills game.
Poloncarz says people have personal choice to not get the vaccine if they don't want it. Attending a football game is also a personal choice, he says.
"There's no God-given right to attend a football game," Poloncarz said.— Nick Veronica (@NickVeronica) April 13, 2021
How will Bills attendance rules impact players and staff?
Poloncarz would like Bills players and staff to be vaccinated, but cannot mandate they receive vaccinations. The NFL took steps Tuesday to incentivize team staff members to get vaccinated. Staff who refuse to get vaccinated without "bona fide medical or religious ground" will not be eligible to be a Tier 1 or Tier 2 employee, per a memo from the league. The NFL can't impose similar guidelines on players since they are part of the NFLPA.
As for stadium workers, Poloncarz said the guidelines would apply to them. Concession workers, as an example, would have to be fully vaccinated to work Bills games.
How will Bills know fans are vaccinated?
Bills fans hoping to attend games in 2021 will have to show they are vaccinated through the Excelsior app. The Excelsior app is already being used by the New York State Department of Health, Poloncarz said.
The Excelsior app is already used by the NYS Dept of Health. Poloncarz said your vaccination status is not a secret because the state keeps track of that information. All Health Depts and health care providers know individuals' health care status.
— Sandra Tan (@SandraTanBN) April 13, 2021
The Excelsior app provides digital proof New Yorkers have been vaccinated. The app can be scanned, and is part of New York's plan to reopen safely. On New York's health website, it states identification may have to be shown with the app to prove the vaccination record belongs to you.
After that, you are free to flog splash through as many tables as you like.
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