OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The Oklahoma City Thunder announced that beginning Dec. 1, fans attending games in person will no longer be required provide proof of a COVID-19 vaccination or a negative coronavirus test.
“We have decided to lift our vaccination/testing requirements,” citing a decline in coronavirus cases and an increase in COVID-19 vaccinations in Oklahoma County, according to a team statement.
“Since we announced the protocols in September, the Oklahoma Department of Health reports the percentage of Oklahoma County residents 12 and older who are fully or partially vaccinated has risen to 85%,” according to the statement.
“The number of COVID cases statewide has dropped approximately 60% and hospitalizations have declined at similar rates,” the statement said.
The requirements remain in place for games scheduled for Wednesday and Friday.
The NBA suspended the 2020 season in March that year after two Utah Jazz players tested positive for the virus prior to a scheduled game in Oklahoma City.