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Vaccines required to attend Sixers, Flyers games under new Philadelphia mandate
Philadelphia's new mandate applies to all indoor establishments that serve food or drink for on-site consumption
PHILADELPHIA - The Wells Fargo Center will soon require fans and staff to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test for upcoming Philadelphia 76ers and Philadelphia Flyers games under Philadelphia's newest indoor dining mandate.
Health officials on Monday cautioned a "winter wave" as the reason behind needing such a mandate which encompasses all businesses that serve food or drinks.
The mandate, which applies to all indoor establishments that serve food or drink for on-site consumption, will go into effect on Jan. 3. For the first two weeks, establishments will be permitted to accept proof of a negative COVID-19 test from within 24 hours as an alternative to vaccination proof. After Jan. 17, all staff and visitors will need to provide proof of vaccination.
When asked whether visitors would need to be vaccinated to go to the Wells Fargo Center, Health Commissioner Dr. Cheryl Bettigole confirmed that people will need to be vaccinated unless they have a valid exemption such as medical or religious. Staff members and children ages five to 11 have until early February to be fully vaccinated. Children under five and those with medical or religious exemptions are excluded.
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Outdoor areas will not be impacted by the mandate as it strictly pertains to indoor dining spaces.
This mandate extends to indoor restaurant spaces, cafés within larger spaces (like museums), bars, sports venues that serve food or drink for onsite consumption, movie theaters, bowling alleys, conventions (if food is being served), catering halls, casinos (where food and drink is allowed on the floor), and food court seating areas, as well as other entertainment venues that serve food or drink for onsite consumption.
Dr. Cheryl Bettigole stressed that while the city did not want to close restaurants or cause any further disruptions to businesses, the need for such a mandate is important.
"Philadelphia is doing a great job staying masked and getting vaccinated, but with hundreds of thousands of Philadelphians who are eligible for vaccine but not yet fully vaccinated, we need this additional safety measure to make us safer and avoid some of the worst outcomes we've seen in other states," said Dr. Bettigole.
The rules will not change for now at outdoor sporting events, but will apply to indoor areas and businesses inside Lincoln Financial Field and similar venues.
In regard to the ruling, the Philadelphia Eagles released a statement about how this decision impacts Lincoln Financial Field.
"Our organization is aware of the City of Philadelphia’s new mandate which will require proof of vaccination against COVID-19 for indoor dining establishments. Several sports and entertainment venues throughout the country have already been operating successfully under similar restrictions for months, and we were prepared for this possibility. The necessary adjustments will be made, and Lincoln Financial Field will be in compliance with City policy for our final regular-season home game on Sunday, January 9. We will be communicating directly with our fans over the coming weeks to inform them of any new stadium procedures. As always, we will remain in close communication with City officials and prepared to adjust as needed."
In a statement, officials with Wells Fargo Center said:
"Throughout the pandemic, Wells Fargo Center has taken a leadership role in keeping our fans safe, and we’ve already hosted several events where proof of vaccination or proof of a negative test were required for all guests, so we’re well-prepared to comply with the city’s new policy," said Valerie Camillo, President of Business Operations for the Philadelphia Flyers and Wells Fargo Center. "As an organization, we have strongly supported vaccination efforts, but we also know that we’re able to continue providing a safe environment for our guests by ensuring that everyone who enters the arena is either vaccinated or verifiably negative for COVID."
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