NFL wants players to wear masks on sideline, in locker rooms for COVID-19 protection
The NFL is continuing to adapt and change their COVID-19 safety protocols to better protect players, coaches and staff. On Tuesday, the NFL issued some additional rules aimed at preventing the spread of COVID-19 whenever teams are together.
Dr. Allen Sills, the NFL’s chief medical officer, told NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero that the league is increasing its mask requirements for players.
Dr. Sills says the NFL sent a memo to clubs today, asking them to have players wear masks on the sideline and the locker room, and mandating masks during postgame interactions between the teams.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) November 3, 2020
Now players will be required to wear masks during postgame hugs and handshakes with their opponents, and teams will also ask players to wear masks in locker rooms and on the sideline during games.
It appears that these latest rules are in response to the past 10 days of COVID-19 tests. Teams like the Las Vegas Raiders, New York Giants, Green Bay Packers and Baltimore Ravens have moved players to the reserve/COVID-19 list due to positive tests, but they’ve also had players moved to those lists because they were deemed to be “high risk close contacts” of the player who tested positive.
In the memo sent to teams, obtained by Pelissero, the NFL makes it clear that wearing a mask could prevent a player from being designated a “high risk close contact,” which requires five days of isolation away from the team.
Here’s today’s NFL memo, which makes clear: “Wearing a mask ... may be the difference between an individual being designated a ‘High Risk Close Contact’ or not.”
One team — presumably the #Ravens — had six high risk close contacts with one player who tested positive. pic.twitter.com/L76hftg731— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) November 3, 2020
The NFL is also increasing each team’s sideline space for every game, from one 20-yard line to the other.
Immediate action for midgame positives
Sills also discussed what would happen if the league found out a player had tested positive in the middle of a game.
NFL chief medical officer Dr. Allen Sills says if the league found out during a game that a player tested positive for COVID-19, they'd be removed immediately.
That wasn't an option Sunday, with #Ravens CB Marlon Humphrey and #Packers RB A.J. Dillon getting results Monday a.m.— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) November 3, 2020
After the embarrassing mess MLB and the Los Angeles Dodgers found themselves in when Justin Turner tested positive in the middle of Game 6 of the World Series, it’s no wonder the NFL wants to clarify this.
However, it doesn’t appear that Sills mentioned what would happen if a player’s test results are inconclusive before or during a game. Turner’s initial test was inconclusive and he was allowed to play while his next test was being run, which then came back positive.
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