COVID-19 Rules and Guidelines for the NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL: , Explained.
As the Delta variant continues to surge in the United States, many organizations have had to reinstate certain COVID-19 protocols.
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Here’s what we know so far about the current COVID-19 rules and guidelines for each of America’s four major professional sports leagues.
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1.
NFL.
Players are not required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, but the NFL will not be accommodating to teams with unvaccinated players.
If an outbreak among unvaccinated players causes a game to be canceled and it cannot be rescheduled, the team with the outbreak will be credited with a loss.
That team will also be forced to cover the financial losses suffered by both teams and be subject to possible disciplinary action.
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As for spectators, mask mandates and proof of vaccination requirements vary by team.
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MLB.
The league initially had mask mandates in place at the beginning of the year, but those protocols were relaxed for fully-vaccinated players and fans in June.
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With the rise of Delta, MLB said it is “constantly monitor[ing]” the spread and will “adjust [its] protocol accordingly.”.
New rules are likely to be announced in the coming weeks as the league’s season continues.
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3.
NBA.
The league has not made an official announcement regarding its COVID-19 policy for the 2021-’22 season, which begins in mid-October.
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However, the NBA is likely to put some guidelines in place, as the league’s relaxed protocol during July’s NBA Finals led to an outbreak of nearly 500 COVID-19 cases.
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4.
NHL.
On August 13, the NHL sent a memo to all teams saying all players and personnel who work closely with athletes are required to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
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It is not yet known whether fans will also be required to provide proof of vaccination in order to attend events.
However, it’s likely that fans will have to comply with local mandates that require masks for indoor events, regardless of what the NHL decides