Good news for those who’ve gotten the juice, the Miami Heat has a special seat just for you! The basketball club just announced they are reserving a special section of their American Airlines Arena for those who can show proof they’ve been vaccinated 14 days or more prior to game. That’s better than an American Airlines flight! The Heat are the first team to put this into place after the NBA approved separate sections for those who’ve been vaccinated. There will still be required COVID-19 precautions, even for the Vaxx-IP section, but they are less strict. All of this is just another step close to life as we once lived it. But it’s a safe and healthy step.
Miami Heat fans who are vaccinated against COVID-19 will be able to sit in a special section for games beginning on April 1.
The team told the Associated Press Tuesday that two sections in the lower bowl of the American Airlines Arena will be dedicated to fully vaccinated fans.
The Heat is the first team to implement a vaccine section, just a week after the NBA told teams they could do these special sections in accordance with local and state health and safety guidelines, per AP.
Vaccinated spectators who choose to be in those sections will have to show proof that their final vaccine was administered at least 14 days prior to the game they attend.
COVID-19 precautions will still be enforced, but at a more lenient level.
Those fans will still have to wear masks and be brought through a separate entrance. There also will only be one seat dividing groups, as opposed to several seats that socially distance non-vaccinated fans.
If the vaccinated sections are within 30 feet of the court, those people also have to take a PCR test two days before the game or an antigen test the day of the game.
Unfortunately, due to guidelines, children unable to get vaccinated are not eligible to be in the vaccinated-only sections for Miami Heat games even if their parents are.
States are so varied in their COVID journey, it makes conversations interesting. I was talking to my friend in Atlanta who’s been fully vaccinated for a while because she qualifies as her mom’s caregiver. She was teasing me because she’d just been notified that 16 and up qualify in her area while I may – may – qualify by the 4th of July. Now that things are moving forward for everyone, I have no more vaccine envy, though. I’m genuinely thrilled every time someone gets the poke. So perks like a vaccinated only section seem really cool to me. The closer we can get to coming together, the better. As long as people are being smart about it, I say go for it. And honestly, anyone in Miami actually following proper protocol deserves a reward right now.
I assume the proof that the Miami Heat is requesting is the vaccine card issued once a person gets their shot. These cards are going to be very important for some time so get used to having it with you. It’ll almost definitely be required for travel and there will be many activities that end up asking for them. So store them where you keep your other important documents. Plus, God willing we won’t have another pandemic and they become collectors’ items, something you’ll want to show future generations. I don’t know if you guys know who Michael McKean is. He’s made a name for himself in much more current shows like Better Call Saul but I knew him first as Lenny on Laverne & Shirley. He recently posted a pic of his Polio vaccine card on Twitter. I know it’s hard to believe, but some day, this will all be so far in our rear-view mirrors, someone’s going to say, “Gran? Tell about the time when you all had to stay inside for a year… “
Photo credit: Getty Images and Instagram
This is great, and frankly, I’m wondering why more things around me aren’t opening for those who can prove they’re vaccinated. Lots of folks are now, and maybe it’d encourage some of the people who are reluctant to get the vaccine!
They’d have had me at free Krispy Kremes, though!
Yes, I am hoping that more and more events and venues give special treatment to the vaccinated. These people don’t care about anyone other than themselves. They believe they don’t need the vaccine because they’re “fit” or something. And They Do Not Care if they spread it to someone and that person dies, or the large number of unvaccinated end up creating a petri dish for a more deadly covid variant. They don’t care.
So let’s give them something to care about. Let’s turn them into second class citizens and see how they like that.
Good, I like this plan.
Can’t wait to hear my mother in law say something, something nazi Germany and essential oils
I’m sorry to laugh at your depiction of your mother, because I bet that’s not funny to experience. But your telling of it really is.
This is great but I can’t even imagine how the deplorables are reacting to this. My son goes to a large Big 10 university and athletics is a very big deal but so many parents on the parent FB page are Covid denying anti-vaxxers. Balking at the idea of even something as simple as weekly testing for those who aren’t vaccinated next fall, which is one of the ideas on the table right now. The collective shrieking at the idea of vaccinated fans getting priority seating at games would be heard around the world.
And Michael McKean is a treasure. His performance in Better Call Saul was brilliant, seriously brilliant.
I’m wondering if the cards will just be temporary, and something more permanent will be issued (I’m thinking along the lines of a government issued ID card or additional to your license or something?). Only because the cards are super easy to recreate, and I can tell you that some places ran out of the cards and were printing slips of paper instead. Not to mention that some of the people I’ve seen for the 2nd shot were missing the signature for the first shot. Its definitely not a perfect system.
And if it’s required for international travel, probably just add it to passports.
I hope they do this for restaurants!
I’m going to get vaccinated as soon as I can
BUT
the idea that people who don’t get vaccinated are “second class citizens” as someone said above is…off putting and potentially dangerous.
Yes I’m going to get the vax
BUT they still aren’t actually FDA approved. They’re emergency waived but…
People who have questions or concerns about the safety aren’t wrong.
There’s no long term data.
Anyway, don’t attack me. I’m getting the vaccine.
I disagree. Sorry. The vaccine is the only way we’re going to get out of this hellscape and we have a frightening percentage of Republicans who have said they aren’t getting it. If too many of them don’t get it, we could be right back in the soup.
Betsy
Just curious what you disagree about?
What did I say that was disagreeable?
As vaccines become more widely available, I’d love to see more establishments doing this for vaccinated folks (and those who are vulnerable but can’t be vaccinated due to health reasons; they should also get to roll with the vaccinated folks to stay safe). I want people who actively choose not to be vaccinated to be jealous, honestly. Why should we have to risk getting even mild illness because of their ignorance? These people who have continued to party and travel throughout the pandemic are the reason I’ve been locked in my house for a year. It’s our turn to have fun!
What’s the logic in this probable segregation? The shot doesn’t keep anyone from spreading the virus or getting sick. 🧐 Laughable.