By Thomas Christian (@ThomasGOATnba) – Reporter
Portland State traveling to CEFCU Stadium Sept. 3 for the 2022’s first home football game will mark 902 days since the first lockdown was ordered in Santa Clara County on March 16, 2020. Sporting events in the midst of this pandemic have been drastically different, from fans being barred from games altogether to masks being required to no “COVID” rules at all.
Millions have been killed by the virus in that timespan, and the rest of us have been left wondering what to do to prevent more from dying. Initial knee jerk reactions like wearing three masks, plastic gloves, and social distancing even when outside felt understandable in the moment, but since then, we have learned a lot more about COVID-19 and how it actually infects its victims.
Learning from individuals that have lived through this pandemic covering sporting events as a job, and what they expect from their COVID-19 guidelines in order to keep them safe matters. Next season could be the first at SJSU since 2019 to have zero COVID-19 guidelines.
“I assume if things steadily get better on the COVID-19 front, the guidelines will be less strict. There’s more and more places that are removing the mask mandate, so I think there’s a good chance SJSU could follow suit rather soon,” said Jose Garcia, a reporter for The Spear.
Other reporters feel the same, Autumn Blue of The Spear added, “if anything maybe the lack of masks required but needing to have vaccination proof.”
Signs have been posted around SJSU’s arenas asking attending fans to social distance and wear masks for the past year. In the 2020-21 school year, fans were largely excluded from sports events altogether, which meant that the football team’s best season in recent memory occurred with no one around to cheer them on.
Even when case numbers dwindled and things looked to be getting better, COVID-19 guidelines still stayed in place. A virus may ebb and flow with the wind, but guidelines or rules that keep people safe? There needs to be deliberation, open debate, possibly a panel and a decision by the powers-that-be. That process is too rigid to be done at the whims of a deadly virus.
“I feel there will be a gradual change when it comes to COVID-19 guidelines for SJSU sports in the future,” said Anthony Lucido, The Spear’s lead graphic designer. “COVID isn’t going away and we might see more spikes later,” he added.
Even more to consider is the fact that many new COVID-19 advancements have been made since the virus was unleashed. Students at SJSU are now required to be vaccinated to be on campus (barring any medical reason) and likely many have received a booster shot as well. Temperature readings have become a normal part of entering any social venue, and there could easily be another such rapid normalization of an anti-COVID-19 practice again before Sept. 3.
Spear reporter John Culbertson said, “If sporting events move to allow unmasked fans, I would expect that in exchange COVID vaccination proof would be required to enter.”
Regardless of next year’s COVID-19 guidelines, the Spartan home crowd will be happy to be back together once again, and hopefully this time next year, we don’t need to put out another COVID-19 guideline update.