Jab-mask mandatory in ‘the M’s’ residence

Article posted by Coliseum, September 9^th, 2021

Image: MLB

The Major League Baseball (MLB) team Seattle Mariners announced on September 7^th new COVID-related protocols for all events at their residence – the T-Mobile Park – including mask mandatory and plans for proof of vaccination requirements.

The first Mariners game where the mask mandate will be in effect is on September 10^th where they will clash against their peer team Arizona Diamondbacks in their digs – T-Mobile Park.

The announcement comes on the heels of the Seattle & King County Public Health’s latest order that masks must be required for all outdoor gatherings of more than 500 people, effective immediately. The Mariners next play at home on September 10^th.

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The ‘MLB’ stated that the Public Health order applies to fans aged five and older in all locations of T-Mobile Park, including seats and concourses, but masks are not required while fans are actively eating and drinking. T-Mobile Park safety ambassadors will be present in various locations throughout the ballpark on gamedays to proactively encourage mask compliance, and single-use, multilayer masks will be available at various locations in the ballpark for those guests who do not have their own.

The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The team joined the American League as an expansion team in 1977 playing their home games in the Kingdome.

The T-Mobile Park is a retractable roof baseball park in Seattle, Washington, United States. Owned and operated by the Washington State Major League Baseball Stadium Public Facilities District, it is the home stadium of the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball (MLB) and has a seating capacity of 47,929 for baseball.

The Public Health – Seattle & King County is the Public Health Department in King County, Washington, United States. It is jointly managed by the City of Seattle and King County Governments, serving approximately two million residents.

The ‘MLB’ further stated that the proof of vaccination policy won’t be in promulgation until potential postseason games at the earliest. The Seattle & King County Public Health on Tuesday announced plans for a vaccine verification policy that is likely to take effect in October.

Said Trevor Gooby, Mariners Senior Vice-President, Ballpark Operations, “The evidence is clear – vaccination is safe and effective in preventing serious illness from COVID-19. We are making this announcement now to give our season-ticket members and other fans the opportunity to get vaccinated before the requirement takes effect.”

The National Football League’s (NFL’s) Seattle Seahawks, who open their home schedule on September 19^th, and the National Hockey League’s (NHL’s) Seattle Kraken, who begin their preseason on September 26^th, both announced proof of vaccination and mask mandates at their respective venues.

Also included in the Mariners’ announcement was that the club began notifying team employees on August 20^th that they are required to be fully vaccinated by October 4^th as a condition of employment. Employees have been required to wear masks at the T-Mobile Park since August 23^rd.

This mandate applies to all front-office employees, event staff and team employees at Mariners-operated facilities across the country, including their Spring Training home in Peoria, Arizona, and Modesto, California, where their Low-A affiliate is located. It also applies to employees of vendors and contractors who work at T-Mobile Park, such as Centerplate, Allied Security, ABM housekeeping services, and more.

This portion of the mandate does not apply to employees who are not at Mariners-operated facilities, such as remote-based employees like scouts. It also does not apply to employees covered by the Collective Bargaining Agreement, which includes players. Seattle is one among a handful of teams that has not reached the 85 percent vaccination threshold of Tier 1 personnel that allows for relaxed health and safety protocols. Tier 1 individuals include players.

The team sent out a release which read, “The Mariners are following the lead of an increasing number of organizations who believe mandating vaccination is the best way to protect employees. With the spread of the highly transmissible COVID-19 Delta variant across the U.S., infection rates among unvaccinated people, and a small number of vaccinated people, continue to rise. The evidence is clear that vaccination is safe and effective in preventing serious illness from COVID-19. Out of an abundance of caution, we believe it is necessary to take this step to more fully protect our employees, their families and our community.”

Additional details about vaccine verification for T-Mobile Park events will be communicated at a later date.

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