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The Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns tip during the first half of a preseason basketball game Friday, December 18, 2020, in Phoenix, Ariz. (AP Photo / Matt York)
The Phoenix Suns announced Tuesday that they will allow fans in limited capacity to return to Phoenix Suns Arena on Monday.
The first game with other participants is on Sunday against the Boston Celtics, with the Suns offering free tickets to healthcare workers. Monday’s home game will mark the first opening to fans, with up to 1,500 supporters allowed.
“With an exciting new era starting on the field and a virtually new building to play in, we are delighted to welcome fans back to Phoenix Suns Arena,” said Jason Rowley, Suns president and CEO in a statement. Press. “Our staff have worked tirelessly with the NBA and health officials to ensure that proper protocols are in place to keep everyone safe.”
The Suns’ decision is in line with guidelines from the Center for Disease Control, the NBA, and the Arizona Department of Health and Human Services. The organization has worked with many health experts to ensure a safe experience for fans.
Masks will be mandatory for fans at the entrance and at all times in the arena, apart from eating and drinking. Social distancing will be required, with markings across the arena for proper spacing in concessions, restrooms and more.
Other measures will be taken, including dematerialized ticketing and cashless payment methods.
Presales for season ticket holders will begin Thursday while tickets for a game go on sale Friday.
COVID-19 cases fell in the second half of January after a sharp rise around the holidays.
Looking at the number of cases from tests performed on a specific day, that number stayed below 2,000 in Arizona from July 22 to November 11, including a run from August 5 to October 13 where it never reached 1,000, according to the Arizona Department of Health. And services. Those numbers have risen dramatically, hitting a record high of nearly 6,000 on November 23.
These continued to climb to highs reached after Christmas, with 11,313 tests positive in cases on December 28 and 11,293 on January 4.
The seven-day case average on February 1 fell below 5,000 for the first time since December 4. by Garrett Archer of ABC 15.
Positive daytime tests are still quite high and far from the lows reached during the summer. For the week of January 18, the seven-day average of positive cases was 5,578 on Tuesday, with new data still coming in.
With the number of positive tests in the past two months, deaths continue to reach new highs. At least 100 people in Arizona have died from COVID-19 per day during the first 20 days of January, where recent deaths in recent weeks will continue to add.
Given the 238 deaths reported on Tuesday, the latest seven-day cycle had 914 reported deaths as the vaccine rollout in the state progressed.
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