Vaccination-only seating, detection dogs eliminated

With a greater amount of the population having received coronavirus vaccinations, the Miami Heat have eliminated the use of COVID-detection dogs and are no longe offering vaccination-only sections.

“We found,” Heat executive vice president Michael McCullough told the South Florida Sun Sentinel on Tuesday, “we could eliminate the dogs from part of the protocol, while retaining everything else that we’re retaining: strict masking, social distancing, hand sanitizing, no food and beverage in the bowl.

“So we very feel comfortable that people will still feel and will remain safe while they come to Heat games.”

The vaccination-only sections at AmericanAirlines Arena had proved, according to the team, to be “an operational challenge,” when it came to the requirement of vaccination passports as a seating option.

That program had been in place for games beginning April 1, the day before an order from Gov. Ron DeSantis prohibiting governments, businesses and public venues from demanding proof of Covid19 vaccination from individuals.

Under the policy, the Heat had announced:

“The Heat have allocated two sections in the lower level to fully vaccinated fans. These seats will be located in Sections 117-118 and the pods of seats will be separated by just one seat. Fully vaccinated fans will be admitted through a separate gate and will be required to present a proof of a Center for Disease Control (CDC) issued COVID-19 vaccination card showing their vaccination certification dated at least 14 days prior to the game date along with a valid government issued ID.”

That program ran through the Heat’s April 8 game against the Los Angeles Lakers.