Nearly 12 percent of Superdome workers have tested positive for coronavirus, stadium says
Another NFL stadium has reported that a sizable number of workers have tested positive for the coronavirus.
The Mercedes-Benz Superdome announced Tuesday that 32 of its 275-plus daily workers have contracted COVID-19, according to New Orleans’ WDSU. That works out to around 11.6 percent, assuming 275 isn’t the exact number.
Starting this year, the home of the New Orleans Saints has been undergoing a $450 million renovation. With the Super Bowl scheduled to come to the city in 2024, there are plans to replace concrete ramps in the stadium with atriums and improve concourses and end zone seating.
Broadmoor LLC, the main contractor on the project, has reportedly ordered the workers who tested positive to stay home and will require evidence of a negative test before they are allowed back on.
Construction for the Superdome renovations was among the projects deemed essential by Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards and allowed to continue through the pandemic, one of a number of stadiums to receive such permission and later see coronavirus cases pop up.
Workers testing positive at NFL stadiums in Los Angeles, Las Vegas
It was reported at the start of May that 16 workers deployed at the Las Vegas Raiders’ new Allegiant Stadium had tested positive. At least eight workers at SoFi Stadium, the $5 billion future home of the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers, have also tested positive.
The issue isn’t isolated to just NFL stadiums, as construction crews at the University of Alabama’s Bryant-Denny Stadium experienced an outbreak last month.
The Superdome’s full statement
From WDSU:
"We can confirm that in the last few weeks, 32 of the 275-plus daily workers on the project have tested positive for COVID-19. This post-Memorial Day increase is consistent with what 21 other states, not including Louisiana, are experiencing at this stage of the pandemic as more restrictions have been lifted for travel, shopping, and work.
"After learning of the affected workers, Broadmoor LLC, the main contractor for the project, implemented its coronavirus response plan to ensure that those affected workers had been isolated away from the job site. These workers will be required to complete the CDC-compliant protocol and provide Broadmoor LLC evidence of a negative COVID-19 test before being allowed back on the site. We have also increased mitigation measures such as mandatory masks to protect workers who remain on the job.
"From the beginning of this pandemic, this project has been considered “essential” in accordance with Gov. John Bel Edward’s Executive Proclamation on March 22, 2020. Work has proceeded uninterrupted with mitigation steps that meet or exceed CDC protocols. Broadmoor and Superdome staff continue to work collectively to assure that all workers in the facility adhere to health and safety protocols, which includes access to handwashing stations, wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) and that all workspaces are cleaned and sanitized daily. In addition, medical technicians administer temperature screenings for all workers who enter the Superdome each day, and Broadmoor has instituted social distancing measures, including staggered starts and breaks."
More from Yahoo Sports:
