UB will require fans to wear masks at home football games

The school released its updated mask policy Thursday, a week before the UB football team opens its season at 7 p.m. Sept. 2 at UB Stadium against Wagner, a Football Championship Subdivision program. 

According to the policy, which falls in line with Centers for Disease Control recommendations during the Covid-19 pandemic, masks and face coverings will be required for vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals at outdoor events or settings with more than 100 people in attendance, including football games at UB Stadium.

Masks will be required while fans are seated, and throughout UB Stadium. Masks can be removed to eat or drink, but must be worn when food or beverage consumption is finished. 

The decision to require masks at football games comes less than a week after Erie County went from having "substantial" to "high" transmission of Covid-19; the county Health Department on Saturday posted on its Twitter account that the county had 101 cases per 100,000 residents.

UB announced July 8 that it will have fans in attendance for fall sports at full capacity.

UB did not have fans for its three home football games last fall, as the Mid-American Conference did not allow fans or tailgating at its football games in 2020.

Earlier this month, UB reinstituted indoor mask mandates for all employees and students regardless of their vaccination status.