Effective Saturday, patrons entering the Carrier Dome will no longer be required to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test, according to a Syracuse University announcement. The change comes after the university said it reviewed public health conditions on campus and in the surrounding central New York area.

On March 8, SU said it would be moving to the “YELLOW” COVID-19 level, removing the mask requirement for fully vaccinated students during academic instruction. 

Syracuse didn’t allow any fans or students into the Dome for 650 days, leaving the stands empty for the 2020 football and 2020-21 men’s and women’s basketball seasons. Just weeks after basketball’s regular season ended, the university announced that up to 900 people could attend lacrosse games, but social distancing and pod seating were enforced.

Then in a press release last July, SU Athletics announced the Dome would return to full capacity for the football season. Before entering, however, fans, students and staff have had to present a negative COVID-19 test or vaccination card.

The Dome will host several non-SU athletic events in the next few months, such as Monster Jam and the Paul McCartney concert, the release stated. The university is leaving protocols for those events up to the event promoter, but Monster Jam stated in an email that it will follow the updated policy.

The next event scheduled to take place in the Dome is Syracuse men’s lacrosse’s game against No. 11 Duke on Saturday, the first day under the eased restrictions policy.