The NFL announced its COVID-19 protocols with heavy restrictions for non-vaccinated players for the 2021-22 season on Thursday.
If the NBA is about to follow in its footsteps if Summer League is any indication. They’re reportedly going to do everything in their power to make sure their players are fully vaccinated when Summer League rolls around in August.
The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported protocols facing both vaccinated non-vaccinated players during Summer League this year and the difference was stark.
There were tons of restrictions for non-vaccinated players while players with the vaccine saw essentially saw none. They only need to take a single PCR test upon arrival.
Sources: NBA’s COVID-19 health and safety player protocols for 2021 Summer League in Las Vegas: pic.twitter.com/NEjRTocTBs
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 23, 2021
Vaccinated players won’t face advanced testing or quarantines after close contact and won’t have any restrictions for in-person interactions or activities in the city.
Non-vaccinated players, on the other hand, will still be placed under the same restrictions the league had in place for last season. Daily testing, a seven-day quarantine after close contact, no large indoor social gatherings, no visiting restaurants, bars, or entertainment spaces and no leaving the team’s hotel outside of team activities.
This is just Summer League. You have to imagine the league will come down even harder on non-vaccinated players when the regular season rolls around.
They’re trying to keep things moving forward. We’ve seen the impact of COVID-19 on the NBA’s schedule. There were tons of games that had to be rescheduled into the second half of the season because of COVID outbreaks among players on different teams.
Neither is explicitly saying it, but the message both the NBA and NFL are sending to their players: Get vaccinated. And, honestly, that’s for the best.
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