Roughriders announce final details of vaccination policy

The CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders have finalized their COVID-19 vaccination policy — and it includes a pre-screening plan to ease congestion at Mosaic Stadium when the policy takes effect Friday.

On Aug. 30, the team announced it would require proof of vaccination or proof of a negative test for fans to attend games at Mosaic Stadium. The policy is to start with the team’s home game Friday against the Toronto Argonauts.

On Wednesday, the Roughriders revealed the pre-screening aspect.

On Thursday (from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) and Friday (from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.), fans can go to the Rider Ticket office at Mosaic Stadium for pre-screening of their vaccination status. Once it’s confirmed, fans will get a wristband that will get them easier access to vaccination screening on game day.

Those who have been pre-screened can go through a dedicated lane at Gate 1 only to gain easier entry to the stadium. Fans with a wristband can enter through other gates, but there won’t be a dedicated lane.

According to a media release from the team, officials from the Saskatchewan Health Authority will be posted at each gate for “vaccine verification escalations” and at help tents around the stadium.

Gates are to open two hours before the 7:45 p.m. kickoff to give fans time to enter the stadium. The team says patrons should arrive no later than one hour before kickoff to make sure they get to their seats by the time the game starts.

All fans aged 12 and up must be able to prove they have received two doses (the second of which can be administered on game day) of the Pfizer, Moderna or AstraZeneca vaccines (or a mixture of two) or a single dose of Johnson & Johnson to get into the stadium.

The vaccination record available on eHealth Saskatchewan’s MySaskHealthRecord is the recommended document. The Roughriders suggest having a digital copy or screen capture of the document on a smartphone.

Everyone 18 and older will have to show photo ID matching the name on the vaccination record, while those aged 12 to 17 will have to show their vaccine record but not photo ID. Fans under the age of 12 are exempt from the policy.

The Roughriders also will accept the wallet card people got at the time of their vaccination, COVID immunization records from public health, Armed Forces records or out-of-province/out-of-country proof of vaccination, but those documents may need further verification by volunteers.

The “Stick it to COVID” stickers handed out at the time of vaccination won’t be accepted.

Fans who have received only one dose or who aren’t vaccinated at all will have to have proof of a negative test completed within 72 hours of the game.

“Rapid or PCR tests will only be accepted if completed by a certified clinic and documentation displays a fan’s name as matched by photo ID as well as the date of collection and results of the test,” the Roughriders’ release said.

Tests must have been completed by the SHA or recognized companies. All other results will be examined by the SHA vaccine verification team.

Since SHA testing sites are being inundated with requests, the Roughriders are recommending patrons who need a negative test result quickly should go to a private company. There also is to be a rapid testing clinic at the stadium on game day that fans can use at their expense.

As well, a vaccination clinic is to be set up on the west side of the stadium near the Gate 2 help tents. The clinic is to operate from 1 p.m. until kickoff.