(Reuters) – NBA players who are not vaccinated against COVID-19 will have to comply with a long list of restrictions to take part in the upcoming season, ESPN https://www.espn.in/nba/story/_/id/32301923/in-memo-teams-nba-crafts-protocols-requiring-unvaccinated-players-many-same-restrictions-rest-league reported.
Vaccination is not mandatory but 90% of players already are, NBA Players Association executive director Michele Roberts told Yahoo Sports in July.
ESPN said that, as per the NBA’s tentative health and safety protocols released to teams on Tuesday, vaccinated players will only be tested if they show symptoms or are a close contact of a positive case.
Unvaccinated players will have to undergo daily testing prior to entering a team facility, participating in team-organised activities, or interacting with other players and coaches.
Among the other restrictions, unvaccinated players will not be allowed to dine in the same room as other players, and must be given a locker as distant as possible from other players.
Unvaccinated players will also have to remain at their residence, or the team hotel during road trips, outside game time except for team and essential activities such as taking children to school or buying groceries.
They will also have to quarantine for seven days if they are a close contact while vaccinated players will only have to do so in “unusual circumstances”.
The report said face masks were mandatory for all players.
The 2021-2022 season starts on Oct. 19.
(Reporting by Manasi Pathak in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
