State has no plans to allow fans at Steelers home games
The Pittsburgh Steelers will play its home games without fans in the foreseeable future because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
State Health Secretary Rachel Levine said she would need evidence of a significant drop in the community spread of the virus and a vaccine before considering allowing fans in Heinz Field or at the Philadelphia Eagles’ home games.
“We have no plans at this time to have fans come,” Levine said Friday during an update on the virus in Pennsylvania.
She said there has been a significant increase in cases at colleges and universities and especially among people who are between the ages of 19 and 24.
The Steelers host the Denver Broncos at its first home game at 1 p.m. Sept. 20.
The announcement came the same day new cases of the virus began to climb again statewide, with 1,008 new cases announced Friday. Allegheny County’s new cases returned to three digits that day, its health department said.
“We need to be united by wearing masks when out in public,” Levine said.
While Allegheny County reported two new deaths from the virus Friday, the death toll didn’t grow in Washington, Greene and Fayette counties.
Washington County added 14 new cases, taking its total to 1,177. Greene County experienced three new cases with a total that reached 156 Friday. Fayette County’s case count grew by five, taking its total to 733.