Dec 28, 2021 - Sports

NBA cuts isolation time for some players who test positive for COVID

Noah Garfinkel

Crypto.com Arena. Photo: Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images

NBA players and coaches who test positive for COVID-19 will now only have to isolate for six days instead of 10, so long as they are asymptomatic and meet other testing requirements, according to a memo seen by Axios.

Why it matters: The update comes as the league sees a surge in players and coaches entering safety protocols due to positive COVID-19 tests, per ESPN, which first reported the new isolation period.

At least 120 players and four coaches were in health and safety protocols as of Monday afternoon, ESPN reported.
The surge in new cases comes despite 97% of NBA players being vaccinated and at least 65% of eligible players being boosted against COVID-19, according to AP.

The big picture: The teams were informed about the updated protocols, agreed on by the NBA and players' union, in the memo sent on Monday.

The NBA said in the memo that the new protocols "reflects analysis of testing data that the league and its infectious disease experts and epidemiologists have gathered throughout the pandemic."
The memo also came on the same day the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shortened its recommended isolation time for people who test positive for COVID-19 from 10 days to five days if they're asymptomatic.

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NBA cuts isolation time for some players who test positive for COVID

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