NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Bridgestone Arena has updated its face covering policy to recommend that everyone wear masks again inside the building.
The arena made the announcement Thursday night, saying the change follows the updated guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that everyone, including fully vaccinated people, wear masks indoors in areas of substantial or high transmission of COVID-19.
SMASHVILLE, do your part, take the shot! pic.twitter.com/Iik6DDv228
— Bridgestone Arena (@BrdgstoneArena) July 30, 2021
The two indicators the CDC uses to determine community transmission level are: the number of new cases per 100,000 people over the past week and positivity rate -- the percentage of positive COVID-19 tests -- over the past week.
The CDC says you live in an area of substantial or high transmission if your county has 50 or more new cases per 100,000 people over the past week or an 8% positivity rate or higher.
According to the CDC, that means nearly every county in Middle Tennessee is an area of substantial or high transmission. Nashville entered that designation on July 20 - and has stayed there ever since.
READ MORE: New masking guidelines: What does 'substantial or high transmission' mean?
“We are disheartened and very concerned about these fast-rising transmission rates, and to that end, we are updating our face covering policy to recommend that all event attendees for our upcoming events wear masks inside Bridgestone Arena,” the arena said in part.
Bridgestone officials said all employees will wear masks at all times while indoors, beginning with the Luke Bryan concert Friday night.
Officials said they would continue to monitor the data and recommendations from government agencies at the local, state and federal levels.
