Oregon joins Tulane in requiring vaccination proof to attend football games

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Oregon became the first Power Five school to announce it will require proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test for people over the age of 12 to attend its football games.

In its announcement Friday, the school said the decision was made with public health authorities and “peer institutions in the state.” The negative test result must be from within three days of the event.

The mandate goes into effect Monday and comes at the end of a week when state officials warned of rapidly filling hospitals as daily reported cases reached record numbers.

Oregon is one of several Pac-12 schools that is requiring students and employees to be vaccinated or apply for an exemption.

The Oregon football teams opens its season at 54,000-seat Autzen Stadium in Eugene on Sept. 4 against Fresno State.

Earlier in the day, Hawaii became the first major college football school to say it would have no fans in attendance for its opening sports events of the season because of a recent COVID-19 surge. Hawaii’s first home football game is Sept. 5 against Portland State.

Oregon’s decision comes about a week after Tulane in New Orleans became the first school that plays football at the NCAA”s highest subdivision to require proof of vaccine or negative test to attend sporting events.

Tulane’s decision followed a mandate set by city officials that also impacts the NFL’s Saints, but schools officials said they were moving toward instituting the policy on their own.