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Mere weeks ago, I would have considered the reopening of the Carrier Dome, let alone any stadium, to be controversial. However, the last month has brought massive changes in Syracuse University and New York state’s COVID-19 response. 

Coronavirus cases spiked within two weeks of SU’s return to campus for the spring semester, and students faced another campus shutdown. But due to SU’s COVID-19 response protocols, such lockdowns never occurred, and the spike passed. The state also updated its coronavirus guidance recently to require SU to shut down campus if it reports 880 cases within a rolling two-week period. This number is astronomically higher than the prior 100-case limit. 

SU’s plan for reopening the Dome involves preventative measures for stopping the spread of COVID-19. These measures come as a massive privilege. 

I will be attending the lacrosse game against the University of Vermont on Saturday with full confidence in SU’s COVID-19 protocols. Prior to the pandemic, SU’s signature Dome could host nearly 50,000 fans. Saturday’s COVID-19 protocol has lowered that to only 900 students. Those attending the game will also be required to take two COVID-19 tests on top of following regular safety measures, such as wearing a mask and practicing social distancing. 

These measures alone will provide a robust surveillance system to catch any possible spread of COVID-19. This is why I am confident in SU’s ability to identify and remove the threat of any spread prior to Saturday’s game. 

Yet, the tremendous amount of resources used to carry out such protocols highlights a disparity in the U.S., and it’s why students should appreciate that some sense of normalcy is returning to campus.

What is controversial about such a reopening is that college students get special treatment in receiving testing to attend a lacrosse game, while millions across the U.S. face high costs of testing and directly face the horrifying statistics of COVID-19. At SU, the majority of students are much more sheltered from the pandemic than vulnerable populations miles away from campus. 

This is why it is important to appreciate the amount of effort it takes to have such an in-person event during a pandemic. Nonetheless, such a privilege must be acknowledged. We are the “pilot” in New York for a stadium reopening to student spectators, and we should be thankful for the privilege.

Harrison Vogt is a sophomore environment sustainability policy and communication and rhetorical studies dual major. His column appears biweekly. He can be reached at hevogt@syr.edu. He can be followed on Twitter at @VogtHarrison.

Published on March 4, 2021 at 7:47 pm