NBA Set To Increase COVID Testing, Mask Requirements

It's beginning to look a lot like...COVID, every arena you go...

Unfortunately for the NBA, rather than don fat suits and fake beards, players and staff within the league will soon be back to wearing masks and readying their bodies for daily testing.

Bah humbug.

As ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported, the league agreed to new COVID procedures for the Christmas holiday, largely because 52 players have entered the NBA's protocols in December.

Beginning on December 26th, all NBA staff and players will be tested for COVID on game days, except for those who have received their vaccine booster shot 14-plus days prior and those who have recently recovered from the virus. The enhanced protocols were agreed upon between the NBA and the league's players union.

The change in protocols -- which also requires masks to be worn by all players and staff while on the bench, in team workout areas and when traveling -- will go into effect for two weeks. The agreement was reached less than a week after it was announced that unvaccinated NBA players would be unable to play games in, or even enter Canada, beginning January 15th.

Prior to Thursday's change in policy, vaccinated players were not required to test regularly. Unvaccinated players, however, have had much stricter protocols all season long. Those players were regularly tested, made to wear masks and forced to eat separate from their teammates.

It's beginning to look a lot like COVID (again), despite all the shots.

 

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