Speaking the evening before major league ballparks reopened to fans for MLB’s Opening Day, president Joe Biden addressed the importance of wearing masks and continuing to abide by health and safety guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Rangers’ Globe Life Field can seat 40,300 people and is the only ballpark that allowed 100% crowd capacity to kick off the season.
Biden said it was “a mistake” for the Texas Rangers to open their stadium at full capacity when he spoke with ESPN’s Sage Steele as part of an interview that aired on SportsCenter.
“Well, that’s a decision they made. I think it’s a mistake,” Biden said. “They should listen to Dr. [Anthony] Fauci, the scientists, and the experts. But I think it’s not responsible.”
Fans attending the Rangers game will be required to wear masks except when eating or drinking in their seats. After the home opener, Globe Life Field will have “distanced seating” sections that will have space between occupied seats.
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When asked how he could advise players who felt hesitant about receiving the vaccine, Biden said: “I would say I’m the President of the United States, and I got vaccinated. I don’t have an unimportant job. Would I take the vaccine if I thought it was going to hurt me? We have done incredible research on the vaccines, and they have shown that they work. We have to get to the point where enough people have taken the vaccine, so we diminish the possibility for it to spread.”
Biden noted that more than 600 million doses of the three vaccines: Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, and Moderna – have been purchased by the U.S. government and that 75% of the people age 65 and older have received at least one of them.
“In terms of it being responsible [for stadiums to open at full capacity] — you see what’s happening in Europe now when they lifted the mandates,” Biden said. I don’t know why we don’t just follow the science and beat this — just flat out beat it. We are going to have enough vaccinations, vaccinators. We’ve opened places. We’re doing everything we can to make it clear to people, ‘Get the vaccine as quickly as you can get it.’ By the end of [April], we’re going to be in a position where everyone can get the vaccine.”
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