Packers reiterate ban on fans at home games because of Brown County's COVID-19 rates
Richard RymanGREEN BAY – The Green Bay Packers are no closer to allowing fans to attend games at Lambeau Field than when they declared an indefinite hold on attendance in early October.
The continued high infection rate for COVID-19 cases in Brown County means fan-free games will continue, including the next home game, scheduled for noon, Nov. 15, against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The Packers are scheduled to play Thursday night in San Francisco. The 49ers closed their facility on Wednesday because of a positive COVID-19 test, but the NFL had not rescheduled the game as of late Wednesday.
"Our players would love to have fans in the stands at Lambeau Field, but it is critical for the safety of our community that we all do whatever we can to stop the virus," said Packers President and CEO Mark Murphy.
The state Department of Health Services confirmed 1,968 new positive cases the past three days, including 408 positive cases on Wednesday. The cases confirmed on Wednesday accounted for 58.7% of 695 total tests that came back that day.
The seven-day positivity rate in Brown County stood at 37.26% since a testing site at the Brown County Fairgrounds in De Pere opened on Monday. Green Bay was ranked 20th as of Wednesday in the New York Times' analysis of infection rates in metro areas.
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Nearly 120 COVID-19 patients were hospitalized in Brown County Wednesday, down from 133 people on Monday, according to the county health department.
State health officials reported one new coronavirus-related death in Brown County on Wednesday — the 104th resident to die from the pandemic.
The Packers have encouraged residents to follow basic health-safety steps to bring the infection rate down.
"It is important to note that public health officials have said we can make a difference relatively quickly by strict adherence to wearing masks, socially distancing and practicing proper hand hygiene," Murphy said.
To emphasize that, the team will install custom-made face masks on the Vince Lombardi and Curly Lambeau statues at Lambeau Field.
"We also remind fans, when watching our games, please limit the people with whom your cheer to your small circle of family or close friends," Murphy said.
The decision to not allow fans is based on several factors, including the fact that traditionally nearly 80% of fans at home games come from more than 50 miles away. It can't be known if that percentage would hold for a game in which fans are capped at 12,000 or less, but if the games fans have been able to attend this year are any indication, it could. Packers fans attended games in Tampa and Houston, making up 30% to 75% in those capped games.
In addition to protecting fans coming into the community, the Packers do not want to create a situation in which fans can carry the virus back to their own communities.
The Packers said they will continue to evaluate the situation in concert with medical and public health representatives. The team is scheduled to host four home games between Nov. 29 and Dec. 27.
Contact Richard Ryman at (920) 431-8342 or rryman@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @RichRymanPG, on Instagram at @rrymanPG or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RichardRymanPG/