Salem Schools To Require Vaccine Proof For Visiting Spectators

SALEM, MA — Families and fans of North Shore student-athletes who want to watch their teams play indoors in Salem will be required to show vaccination proof starting Saturday as part of the city's vaccination-entry order.

Salem Public Schools first indicated that indoor sports, theater and music events would be included in the city's vaccination-entry order for bars, restaurants, gyms and other entertainment venues in revised protocols released before the return of the holiday break, and confirmed those events will be covered under the order on Thursday.

Salem Public Schools Athletic Director Scott Connolly told Patch Thursday afternoon that this order will not apply to opposing student-athletes, coaches and officials.

Salem athletes in "high-respiration extracurricular activities" have been required to be vaccinated as a condition of play since the start of the winter season but most other surrounding districts make revealing a student's vaccination status voluntary.

The Salem vaccination-entry order does not have a "negative-test" exemption.

Those attending the events must also wear a mask under the city's mask mandate for indoor public spaces.

The Salem boys basketball team has home games against Swampscott, Winthrop, Beverly, Marblehead and Wakefield remaining this season. Girls basketball, swimming and gymnastics are the district's other winter indoor high school sports, though the order would apply to middle school sports inside public school buildings as well.

Proof of vaccination accepted will be a vaccination card, a digital image of a vaccination card or a paper vaccination record.

The Salem order states that those 12 years old and older entering affected businesses and events must show proof of vaccination as of Jan. 15 and all those 5 years old or older must show proof of vaccination as of March 1.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)

More Patch Coverage: Salem School Committee Approves Vaccine Mandate For Sports, Band

Salem Business-Entry Vaccination Order: What You Need To Know