Here’s What You Need To Know if You Are Heading To UNH’s Home Opener

The University of New Hampshire football team will be facing off against rival Towson at Wildcat Stadium on Saturday night and this is what people need to know if they plan to attend the game.

On Wednesday, college officials released an updated set of fan policies for home games at Wildcat Stadium. They state:

•Current University protocols require all individuals, regardless of vaccination status, to wear a mask when indoors at all facilities except when actively eating or drinking. At Wildcat Stadium, this includes the Service Credit Union Victory Club, luxury suites, press level, elevators and restrooms.

•All fans who have not been fully vaccinated are recommended to wear masks at all times except when actively eating or drinking. Fans who are fully vaccinated are not required to wear a mask when outdoors on the UNH campus.

•These policies will be constantly evaluated, and any changes will be communicated.

Doug Poole, associate director of athletic communications at UNH, further explained on Friday afternoon what is expected of fans.

"If you're going to the bathroom or any indoor area, you should be wearing a mask," Poole said.

Poole said although they recommend unvaccinated people wear masks while in crowds outdoors, they cannot require them to do so.

Poole said these policies are subject to change prior to each football game.

The game on Saturday starts at 6 p.m.

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On Friday, UNH President James Dean sent a letter to members of the UNH Durham community which increased mask use requirements on the Durham campus.

The letter said that effective immediately:

• All members of the Durham community—students, faculty and staff—are required to wear a face covering in all indoor campus spaces except when eating, in private offices or in personal residence hall rooms. The requirement applies to everyone, vaccinated and unvaccinated. This includes classrooms, hallways, elevators, restrooms, break rooms, entries and exits to buildings, laboratories, meeting rooms, shared offices and work areas.
• Air handling/ventilation will be increased in all campus buildings.
• Additional plexiglas barriers will be added in dining halls
• No non-UNH visitors are permitted in any residence hall.

Dean added that because positive cases are highest among Stoke Hall residents, increased restrictions and measures are being put in place until cases begin to decrease.

More detailed information has been shared with Stoke residents, the letter said.

According to the UNH COVID-19 test result and vaccination information dashboard, as of the close of business on Thursday, 74 students in the UNH system were in isolation.

A total of 13 students were in quarantine.

The dashboard reports that 25 students were isolating on campus and one student was in quarantine on campus.

According to the college's dashboard, at the close of business on Monday there were 40 UNH system students in isolation and eight students in quarantine.

Seven students were in isolation on campus and one student was in quarantine on campus.

Last year, 169 students were in quarantine on and off campus just four days into the 2020 fall semester.

By Sept. 10, 66 students were in isolation and another 257 students were being quarantined within the UNH system.

Dean said in the letter that they will reevaluate these new measures in a few weeks, after Homecoming Weekend.

"Until then, please wear a face covering indoors, continue to test as scheduled and physically distance whenever possible. We’re all in this together, and your actions will help to ensure that we provide the best on-campus experience possible for everyone," Dean wrote.

Contact Managing News Editor Kimberley Haas at Kimberley.Haas@townsquaremedia.com.