Duke Athletics updates safety protocol, masks required indoors and outdoors at all sporting events

Duke Athletics announced its updates to its safety protocol at sporting events Tuesday morning. 

A day after the University instilled new policy that includes an indoor and outdoor mask mandate and suspending indoor group seating at Duke Dining facilities, Duke Athletics followed suit and announced masks would be required at all times at sporting events, regardless of vaccination status and both indoors and outdoors. Exceptions can be made for guests with "medical or behavioral conditions or disabilities" and guests are permitted to take their mask off when actively eating or drinking. 

The requirement extends to using Duke transit services to and from games, and includes all pre and post game festivities. Duke Athletics instructs to stay home if feeling sick and to attempt to socially distance if possible at sporting events.

The release includes a recommendation to be vaccinated, but there will not be any requirement to show proof to gain entry to sporting events. 

The previous masking protocol at sporting events was the same as the University's earlier guidelines. Masks were not required outdoors but were for sports that took place inside.