Chapel Hill warns Tar Heel fans against rushing Franklin Street if UNC beats Duke
Tar Heel fans won’t be storming Franklin Street on Saturday if UNC beats Duke, town officials said Tuesday.
The announcement in a news release follows UNC’s February win over Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham. Roughly 1,000 Tar Heel fans rushed Franklin Street in celebration and in defiance of COVID-19 restrictions.
Saturday’s game will be at the Dean Dome in Chapel Hill.
The town is working with the university to prepare for the annual basketball rivalry, including how to handle celebrations and other activities on game day and after the game, according to a news release.
They are telling the public to follow public health guidelines and find safe ways to watch the game and celebrate a Carolina victory, officials said.
UNC will host a virtual watch party for students and a Beat Duke trivia night on March 3. Town staff will be available Saturday in case of “the unexpected,” town officials said. The streets will not be closed to traffic.
“Governor Roy Cooper’s COVID-19 crowd limits prohibit gatherings of more than 50 people outdoors due to the risk of spreading the coronavirus,” said Kelly Drayton, the town’s emergency management coordinator.
“In fact, the Governor’s decision to stick to 50 people outdoors while loosening other restrictions should be a clear message about its importance. We must adhere to these public health guidelines to continue this important battle we’ve all been in for nearly a year,” she said.
The town is encouraging fans to visit downtown stores and restaurants earlier in the day to avoid crowds and be home in time for the 6 p.m. tip-off.
Another option is ordering takeout or delivery to eat while watching the game at home, officials said. The town has blue “to-go” parking spaces available for pickup orders on Franklin Street. Virtual or outdoor watch parties are another idea, town officials said.
The Orange County Health Department has a guide to safe celebrations. The town also has a page with information about what to do if you see a potential violation of the state’s COVID-19 gathering restrictions.
UNC officials reported after the Feb. 6 game that they were reviewing more than 300 student conduct complaints. Most students get a warning for a first offense unless it is especially egregious, Chapel Hill Mayor Pam Hemminger has said, but students also can lose campus housing or be disenrolled from classes or the university.
UNC officials said in an email Tuesday that the next report on student violations and outcomes will be in May. The university updates its Conduct Summary Report each quarter.
The university implemented a mandatory testing policy for the spring semester that requires students who live in the Chapel Hill or Carrboro area to get tested once a week, even if they attend remote classes. Students who live on campus or have in-person classes must be tested twice a week.
Students who rushed Franklin Street in February were asked to isolate for six days and then get tested.
University data shows a small spike in COVID-19 cases among students roughly a week after the game and another spike to over s dozen about a week later. The university has reported 633 positive student cases and 153 positive employee cases since January.
UNC, town and student government leaders have said most students are following public health rules. UNC officials have estimated only about 17,000 of the university’s nearly 30,000 students are in town, based on internet IP addresses logging into their system.
This story was originally published March 2, 2021 at 11:52 AM.
