Starting next Tuesday for training within the NBA, the league sent all teams a 134-page “Health and Safety Protocol Guide” as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to ravage the world, especially in United States.
After the NBA has decided not to repeat the experience of the Orlando bubble, teams will have to start traveling across the country, forcing the league to establish new security protocols in hopes of limiting the spread as much as possible. of COVID-19.
Under the new security protocols, if a player tests positive for COVID-19, there are two ways to obtain authorization to return.
Those of being in quarantine at least 10 days after the initial positive test or the onset of symptoms or undergoing adNegative PCR tests 24 hours apart.
After a player is Authorized to return to competition, he must spend two days working alone with no one else present.
The player is also not allowed to wear the changing room or change clothes and must wear a mask and have a cardiac exam.
While players who test positive for COVID-19 are unable to exercise for at least 10 days and will then need to be monitored during individual training for two days.
Therefore, even an asymptomatic player, who tests positive for COVID-19, would lose at least 12 days of competition.
However, the new guide does not disclose criteria for how many positive tests or any other metric that requires the cancellation of a game as has happened with other professional leagues, American Football (NFL) and Major League Baseball. .
It is also established in the new protocol guide that in training sessions that begin on Tuesday, individual jobs will be limited to four players and four team staff members at a time.
All participants must record three negative PCR tests.
Anyone participating in the training camp must be in quarantine from at least November 27 to December 2, and testing has already started this Saturday.
The NBA will establish a hotline for reporting security and protocol violations, which has already been established since the Orlando bubble and has been criticized by players.
The protocols reiterate the importance of maintaining so-called “social distance”, wearing face masks at all times outside of eating / drinking, practicing or playing on the field, or while locked in an office with no one else around you.
Additionally, daily tests will be required. Finally, virtual training and awareness sessions are shown as a requirement.
Each NBA team, next season, will have an infectious disease specialist, an infection control specialist, a rapid test coordinator, a test officer, a test manager and a contact tracing officer, two markers for contacts and a club protocol compliance officer.
In addition, the teams will also have two mask applicators, a player liaison, a facility hygiene specialist, a field health and hygiene manager, a health education and awareness professional, and a security professional at the trips.
The new NBA guide also states that The teams will be able to pay for the housing of the players to isolate those who test positive, as the PGA Tour has already established in golf.
Normally, they are prohibited from paying for housing, as it is considered a way to circumvent the salary cap.
Each team’s expedition on their trips to other cities when they travel will be limited to 45 people, including up to 17 players.
