Here’s what Penn State, State College are doing to curb this weekend’s ‘State Patty’s Day’
With “State Patty’s Day” fast approaching, Penn State and the State College Borough have teamed up to tackle the annual drinking event — and ensure that Saturday doesn’t lead to a superspreader event.
Despite fewer students at University Park this semester, the borough plans to provide “a substantial police presence” similar to past State Patty’s Days. And students who are cited off-campus for any reason will also be reported to Penn State’s Office of Student Conduct, where they could face disciplinary action.
“We do not want to bog down our health care system and we don’t want to further our risks here locally, so we just need everyone to keep their eye on the prize,” borough spokesperson Doug Shontz said. “Stay resilient in your efforts to eliminate this virus locally because the vaccines are coming — but they’re coming slowly.”
Added Damon Sims, vice president for Student Affairs: “We must all do our part to keep our community safe from both COVID-19 and the recklessness associated with this troublesome annual event.”
State Patty’s Day first started in 2007 when St. Patrick’s Day fell on spring break, and students decided to celebrate the holiday a little earlier. That tradition stuck and, although it’s not as widespread as it once was, it still poses potentially significant issues this weekend — both because of alcohol-related incidents and because of gatherings despite COVID-19.
Last year, before Centre County experienced its first case of the coronavirus, 124 crimes were reported during State Patty’s Day weekend. This week, the county’s COVID-19 positivity rate has risen to 7% based on seven-day averages, compared to 4.6% a little more than a week ago.
“We’re at a place where we’re better than where we were, but there’s still a fair amount of risk out there,” said Dr. David Rubin, a pandemic modeling expert at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. “And if you have big, concentrated gatherings, you potentially are going to see some bounce-back from that.”
Unlike similar events in the past, such as Arts Fest weekend and the Nittany Lions’ home football opener, officials now have a better idea what to expect during the pandemic. As a result, the borough plans to focus much of its energy on off-campus parties and unlawful gatherings with more than 10 people.
There are plenty of other preventative steps being taken, too: Some police officers will patrol in uniform, while others will be in plain clothes. Some rental property owners have agreed to have extra staff patrolling apartment hallways. And students and visitors can still be fined $300, both on and off campus, for violating a COVID-19-related ordinance that compels mask-wearing and forbids large gatherings.
Students and residents who venture into downtown bars Saturday should also notice a few changes. The Downtown State College Improvement District has recommended shots not be served Saturday to curb irresponsible drinking, and it’s also asked local bars not to open early for the same reason.
A majority of downtown businesses are still capped at 25% capacity because they’ve chosen not to self-certify, said Rob Schmidt, the organization’s executive director. And, per state law, alcohol can only be consumed on-site as part of a meal and cannot be served past 11 p.m.
“We prefer the event not happen,” Schmidt said. “But, if it’s going to happen, those are the guidelines we’d like our legally-owned establishments to follow.”
A return to a more normal Happy Valley might be just around the corner, with news earlier this month that 600 million vaccines should be ready by July. (Even President Eric Barron anticipated a full return to in-person instruction in the fall.) But the concern is that a slip-up now might make that road a little tougher, or at least put more strain on a health care system that’s constantly on alert.
Dr. Nirmal Joshi, chief medical officer at Mount Nittany Health, noted that the hospital is experiencing its lowest hospitalization numbers since mid-November. (It’s averaging a daily census of 18 COVID positive inpatients this month, compared to 49 in December.) But he also cautioned the community not to let up now, just as the country is starting to see some light at the end of the proverbial tunnel.
“While this is very promising,” he said, alluding to the minimal hospitalizations, “we cannot allow ourselves to become complacent in our consistent practicing of COVID safety measures, including the avoidance of large gatherings. We remind everyone in the community to please continue to wear your masks, practice social distancing and frequently wash hands.”
This story was originally published February 26, 2021 at 7:00 AM.
