LSU puts up vaccination-only rules for Tiger Stadium
After a few dreadful months encompassing the installment of an idiot of a women’s basketball head coach to allegations of sexual assault, LSU’s athletic department finally got something right: They are banning anyone who’s over 12 and not vaccinated or can’t show a negative test from coming into Tiger Stadium.
“As the flagship institution of the state of Louisiana, our foremost responsibility is to ensure the safety of our students, our supporters, and our community,” LSU President William Tate IV said. “While we are aware of the diverse perspectives across the nation regarding masks and vaccinations, we must take all reasonable measures to protect our campus and community, not only on gamedays, but long after guests have left Tiger Stadium. The current threat to our lives, our health, and to our medical systems due to COVID-19 is overburdening our hospitals, and we must do our part to stop the spread.”
Those not full vaccinated account for 89% of cases in Louisiana, and 80% of deaths, according to the Louisiana Coronavirus Information Department, which has put every parish in the State on ‘highest’ risk.
Only 40% of the state is fully-vaccinated (one of the worst in the country), with 48% only 1 dose. Hospitalizations are nearly at the highest they’ve ever been – even though there’s been a slight fall in cases.
Having said all of this, the news from LSU is not a surprise.
About a week ago, the New Orleans Saints said that they aren’t permitting anyone who tests positive or hasn’t received one shot of the COVID vaccine into the Superdome. Before that, Tulane become the first school in college football to do the same thing, and there was little pushback (27 people gave up their season tickets, and those were gobbled up).
Also, LSU’s case is backed up by the fact that the Governor of the State – John Bel Edwards – is a Democrat. Every other Governor in the SEC is a Republican, so it will be difficult to see any other school than Vanderbilt going ahead (Vanderbilt is private, so it can do what the hell it wants!).
OTHER SEC REACTION
In true dumbassness, there has already been three statements – one from Missouri, Georgia and one from Tennessee. Missouri – 44% fully-vaccinated – has said that they won’t be following LSU’s example but will ask people who haven’t been vaccinated to wear masks (yeah, like this will work!), and not to crowd concourses (Oh yes! We can see this happening!).
Tennessee’s Republican State representative Jason Zachary tweeted: “Reminder to all Vols we banned vaccine passports in TN so you won’t have to worry about being turned away if you don’t have “your papers”, when going to watch @Vol_Football at Neyland,” he said. Thanks to idiots like Zachary, Tennessee is the sixth-lowest state for vaccinations in the USA.
Then came Georgia – who’s Governor, by the way is Brian Kemp, has proven to be excellently sociopathic and anti-voting rights for black people. He is also in charge of a State that only has 40% of people full vaccinated (61% have had the first dose, which is a start).
A UGA representative told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that “the school plans to be completely back to normal this fall for home football games, with capacity crowds of 92,746 at Sanford Stadium. There will be no masks or social-distancing requirements this year, and Georgia will not be asking for proof of vaccination to enter the grounds”. The team itself are 90% vaccinated, amid a push by Kirby Smart.
No other SEC school has made a comment about vaccination protocols, but you can expect a slew of remarks from these mostly public schools essentially poo-pooing LSU’s moves.
Do they really care? Probably care. If you’re a cynic, it was only because other public places in Louisiana pushed them to do it.
But whatever, this is good news for humanity, and may make nights in Death Valley a safer place.