ROCHESTER, N.Y. — When the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended that even fully vaccinated people wear masks due to a spike in COVID-19 cases, some places began tweaking their policies regarding masking. Rochester’s Minor League Baseball club is handling the situation. It’s not a requirement — but rather a recommendation.

“Throughout this entire pandemic, we’ve been doing our best to adjust to whatever new policies come out that we have to implement,” said Red Wings general manager Dan Mason.


What You Need To Know

  • The Rochester Red Wings are recommending fans wear masks in indoor areas of Frontier Field

  • It’s not a requirement — but rather a recommendation

  • As the delta variant drives up the number of COVID cases, some fans worry about safety

  • Last year, there were no fans last year at Frontier Field because of the pandemic

The new recommendation for baseball fans attending games at Frontier Field is actually one which earlier this season was a requirement for the whole ballpark. Fans are being asked — but not forced — to wear masks while in the team store, team offices, rest rooms and other indoor areas.

“We are a county facility here,” Mason said. “And per their guidance, we're recommending their fans, if they go to visit indoor spaces here at the ballpark, if they're in those areas we just recommend as the county does to put on a mask.”

Wednesday marked the first day since May that Monroe County exceeded 100 new cases of COVID-19. As the delta variant drives up the number of cases, some fans worry about safety.

“Yeah, a little bit,” said Karen Ruffle. “But I try not to.”

Ruffle is OK with the mask recommendation — one her employer also just implemented.

“I work at Wegmans and we have to go back to wearing them,” she said. “I guess it's better to be safe, and so even though I’ve been vaccinated, I think it's better.”

Last year, there were no fans last year at Frontier Field because of the pandemic.

No one wants to see that again.

“We want to continue to have fans for the rest of the season,” said Mason. “And do whatever we need to do to make sure that we can have fans.”