The ‘M’s’ give best shot to keep fans safe

Article posted by Coliseum, March 17^th, 2021

Image: T-Mobile Park

The Major League Baseball (MLB) team Seattle Mariners have received the go-ahead from the State of Washington and King County to play host to up to 9,000 fans per game at their digs T-Mobile Park (US) beginning with Opening Night on April 1^st, 2021.

A statement on the ‘Seattle Mariners’ website read, “The health and safety of our fans, employees and players is the Seattle Mariners top priority. We are committed to all necessary actions to ensure that T-Mobile Park meets or exceeds all industry best practices in response to COVID-19.”

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

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The 47,943-capacity T-Mobile Park is a baseball park in Seattle, Washington (US). It is the home field of the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball. It opened in 1999.

The 2021 Major League Baseball season is the upcoming season planned to begin on April 1^st and end on October 3^rd.

Clean to the core

With COVID-19 still causing ravages in the United States, T-Mobile Park’s science-based infectious disease prevention practices utilize certified products and the latest technology to target suspected or known presence of COVID-19. Enhanced cleaning protocols were developed by the Mariners housekeeping partner ABM, a world leader in the field of industrial hygiene.

ABM’s enhanced cleaning protocols are based on guidance from board certified experts in infectious disease and industrial sanitation. Enhanced efforts include:

Daily cleaning and disinfection of the entire facility, with particular attention paid to high traffic touch points such as handles, common areas, elevators, restrooms, etc., using EPA-approved disinfectant products;
Use of electrostatic sprayers to apply an electrically charged, broad spectrum disinfecting solution that is formulated to target suspected or known presence of COVID-19 but is non-toxic to humans;
Use of UV-C light to eliminate the threat of bacteria, viruses, mold spores and allergy-inducing microorganisms found on everyday items;
Ionized air purification system in clubhouses and other indoor spaces to reduce outdoor air intake and kill pathogens;
Disinfection/cleaning verification via Glo Germ, an evidence-based surface disinfection and cleaning verification program that uses fluorescent markers to detect the presence of biological contaminants and pathogens; and
The Mariners have been awarded Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC) STAR™ Facility certification for T-Mobile Park. The performance-based outbreak prevention, response and recovery accreditation establishes requirements to assist facilities with work practices, protocols, procedures, and systems to control risks associated with infectious agents, such as SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19.

Reduced capacity

Capacity levels for the ballpark are based on guidelines in the Healthy Washington Roadmap to Recovery plan;
Social distancing will be enforced in all areas of the ballpark including concourses and seating areas;
Tickets will be available for advanced sale only in pods of 1-6 fans that are part of the same household unit;
Limited ticket inventory will be offered first to existing Mariners Season Ticket Members;
Any remaining inventory would be offered to single-game buyers in pods of 1-6 tickets; and
Initially, tickets will be offered in phases as capacity limits are determined.

Less contact

Self-scan mobile tickets;
No bags speeds entry and reduces staff-to-fan cross contamination;
Cashless transactions for concessions and merchandise with credit, debit or mobile pay (such as Apple Pay or Google Pay) only;
Eight ReadySTATION® kiosks are located around T-Mobile Park to convert cash into Mastercard® prepaid debit cards. Kiosks are free to use and can load cards with any amount up to $500. The balance on cards never expires and they can be used anywhere debit cards are accepted inside or outside the ballpark; and
Streamlined menus with individually packaged food and beverage items to reduce potential exposure. Eating and drinking restricted to assigned seating only. Masks may be removed only while eating or drinking.

Expert Approval

The ‘Seattle Mariners’ website read, “T-Mobile Park’s science-based health and safety protocols have been guided by input from public health and medical experts including the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), the World Health Organization (WHO) as well as the University of Washington Health Metrics & Evaluation and Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, the Seattle Mariners ‘Partners in Health’. Enhanced cleaning protocols employ the latest technology and disinfection products that are certified to target suspected or known presence of COVID-19.

“The Mariners have been awarded Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC) STAR™ Facility certification for T-Mobile Park, a performance-based outbreak prevention, response and recovery accreditation for mitigating risks associated with the virus responsible for COVID-19.”

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