Nuñez: So far, Pit has been safe

No immediate plans for vaccine passport to attend Lobo hoops games

The University of New Mexico will maintain its virus protocols that do not require proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test to attend an event at the Pit during what is expected to be two of the Lobos’ largest attended basketball games on Friday and Monday, UNM athletic director Eddie Nuñez said Wednesday.

Nuñez contends that UNM is providing safety through its protocols that include following the state mandate of wearing masks indoors. He said there will be a “ramped up version” of enforcing protocols and cleaning various areas in the arena for the women’s basketball game against rival New Mexico State on Friday night and the men’s matchup against the Aggies on Monday night.

“We’ll have more individuals present to encourage (the fans) to wear masks,” Nuñez said. “At this point we will continue what we’re doing. It’s been successful at this point. Am I going to tell you it’s perfect from here on? No. Only time will tell. But we’re going to do everything that we laid out that has shown success to this point.”

Proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test is something that UNM could institute at the Pit in the future “if it’s necessary,” Nuñez said.

The UNM AD said he respects UNM Regent Rob Schwartz, who questioned officials about why such a policy hasn’t been put in place, given that the university’s hospital is operating well above its normal capacity and has enacted crisis standards of care. Schwartz said the university is putting ticket revenue above the health and safety of the community.

Meanwhile, acting Health Secretary David Scrase said that he personally thinks some sort of “vaccine passport” policy would make indoor venues safer.

“But then there’s the public policy question, should the state mandate that folks, all indoor venues or all restaurants or all concerts be set up that way? And I don’t know the answer to that,”

he said.

While Schwartz has said he wanted to have a regentwide discussion of a vaccine requirement at next week’s regents meeting, it’s not clear if the item will be on the agenda.

And there would be at least some opposition to such a vaccine mandate.

Regent Jack Fortner said that while he was in favor of the vaccine mandate for students, staff and faculty to make the campus safer, he’s not in favor of imposing a mandate on community members making a personal choice to attend a sporting event.

“I’m not in favor of permanently alienating 20% of our fans,” he said.

State officials on Wednesday reported reported 1,887 new COVID cases and 12 more deaths from Tuesday, bringing the statewide toll to 5,379 since the start of the pandemic. There were 643 COVID patients in New Mexico hospitals as of Wednesday.

Nuñez said the university has always had a plan in place regarding safety. He added his staff will “make it happen,” and be ready if and when UNM will require proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test at the Pit, though he expressed concerns of acquiring staffing for such confirmations.

“For us if we’re truly doing this and implementing it we have to make sure we do it right,” he said. “... I do believe there will be an effect to the fan base if we do this, but if it’s for the greater good of our fans and we need to do it, and we have that directive to do it then we’re going to do it.”