AKRON, Ohio — Organizers of the Akron Marathon Race Series will now require runners and volunteers to be fully vaccinated with proof of a vaccination card or have a negative COVID-19 test result 72 hours before the race.
The new protocol, organizers said in a release, is to “help protect the health and safety of the public in light of the increase in COVID-19 cases and is aligned with best practices for mass gatherings.
“In order to ensure the race experience that our runners expect—including the Finisher’s Festival—we have to make certain of their safety first and foremost,” said Anne Bitong, president of the Akron Marathon Charitable Corporation, in a news release. “I want to express my gratitude for our team, the City of Akron, and Summit County, along with our sponsors and volunteers who have been working together on the detailed logistics of the event. Health and safety at all levels have been discussed—from packet pick-up and fluid stations to wave starts and lowered capacity—helping to keep our runners feeling safe and together. That’s what this community has always been about.”
Proof of vaccination can be presented as a hard copy, photocopy or digital version of an immunization record. Proof of vaccination or negative COVID-19 test will be required to pick up an in-person race bib at the Akron Marathon Health and Fitness Expo on Friday, Sept. 24.
The FirstEnergy Akron Marathon, Half Marathon, and Team Relay, which will follow the Blue Line through the streets of Akron on Sept. 25., is the third and final race in the Akron Marathon Race Series.
Visit our Vaccinating Ohio page for the latest updates on Ohio's vaccination program, including links to sign up for a vaccine appointment, a map of nearby vaccination sites, a detailed breakdown of the state's current vaccine phase, and continuing local coverage of COVID-19 vaccines in Northeast Ohio.
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