If you want to watch the Bears at Soldier Field this season you’ll have to bring your mask, regardless of your vaccination status. The team announced fans will need to wear masks in the “indoor areas” of Soldier Field on Friday, ahead of the team’s second preseason game against the Bills on Saturday. Masking remains optional in outdoor settings, including open-air concourses.
The city of Chicago reinstated an indoor mask mandate for all, regardless of vaccination status, earlier this week. The extra measure was put in place as the city crossed the threshold of having an average of 400 new cases of COVID-19 per day. It was fair to question whether or not Soldier Field would warrant a mask mandate, since it’s a blend of indoor spaces, open-air concourses and outdoor seating.
The team has not announced new capacity limits. The team also will not require fans to get vaccinated before attending Saturday’s game against the Bills. Other teams and cities have put more stringent policies in place. In New Orleans, fans will need to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test to get into the Superdome. But Raiders fans will have to either show proof of vaccination to enjoy the game unmasked, or get a vaccine at Allegiant Stadium and wear a mask throughout the game. Unvaccinated Raiders fans who do not get a vaccine at the stadium will not be allowed inside.
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As with everything during the pandemic, these policies are subject to change as the landscape of the pandemic changes, as well.