Health experts worry about optional masking at PNC Arena
More than 15,000 Carolina Hurricanes fans were allowed in PNC Arena for round 2 of the Stanley Cup Playoff Series on Tuesday night. That's up from 12,000 fans allowed during round 1.
Mask wearing is now optional, but no longer required, inside the venue.
"I feel totally safe, being vaccinated myself I don't have any problems coming to this and I don't think anybody else should either," said fan Shaun Williams.
In several sections of the arena, a handful of people continued to wear masks.
UNC Health epidemiologists shared concerns about the mask requirement being removed at the arena, specifically for fans who are unvaccinated.
The Director of Infection Prevention at UNC Medical Center, Dr. Emily Sickbert-Benett, had advice for fans attending Tuesday night's game.
"I think really, to be honest with what your status is," said Sickbert-Benett. "If you're unvaccinated, then the public health recommendation is for you to mask yourself."
Even with an air-chiller in place to increase the airflow indoors, Sickbert-Benett said she preferred the use of masks.
"As people interact more and more with different people and without masks, if they are unvaccinated that gives the virus an avenue to spread from person to person," she said.
"It's OK to go out and do things that you miss doing, but you need to really use one of those two tools available to you: vaccination or masking," Sickbert-Bennett added.
Hurricanes fan Trisha Williams said she's comfortable with the updated guidance.
"I feel so much safer now," she added. "I'm really glad that they've taken precuations and social distancing, so I feel safer than I think I would in another area."
Sickbert-Bennett said medical experts are closely monitoring coronavirus case numbers, and since it's been one incubation period since the U.S. Centers for Disease Control changed its guidance, it's too early to anticipate a spike in cases in the coming weeks.
