The NBA announced this Friday that all personnel of league teams who have close contact with players and referees must be fully vaccinated against the coronavirus this season.
The measure reaches all those people who travel with the teams, are near the bench area, have access to the visiting, local or referee team changing rooms in the arenas and those who work at the scoring table.
As reported by the agency APThe league added in the memo it sent to the franchises that the policy could be updated when federal agencies release “advance guidance related to boosting vaccination.”
Team personnel will need to be fully vaccinated by October 1; game day staff should be there by the time the first preseason home game is played, that is, early October.
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Among the groups of personnel that need to be vaccinated are coaches, medical and performance personnel, team management personnel, members of the board, security for the equipment and the arena, media relations, producers of social networks, workers of facility operations and more.
The NBA stated that there will be exceptions for unionized workers who cannot be compelled to be vaccinated and for those who have documented religious or medical reasons. According to the NBA, those who are not fully vaccinated “will be prohibited from interacting in person with any player or referee, or at a distance of less than 15 feet.” Neither will they be authorized to travel with the teams and must wear masks at all times within the team’s facilities.
Last March, the league had relaxed health protocols for people (players, coaches or staff) who were already fully vaccinated. The changes involved less coronavirus testing, removal of quarantine requirements after contact tracing, and being able to go to restaurants.
Training camps for all 30 NBA teams begin in late September, and preseason games will begin in early October. The regular season begins on October 19.
With AP information
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