Last month, the NBA decided to cancel the 2020 season after Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert tested positive for COVID-19. Now, it appears that the league is slowly trying to return its operations to normal by reopening the facilities of various teams.
The Associated Press reports that an unnamed source revealed what the NBA is planning in May, including details involving the protocols that need to be applied. Most of these restrictions are anchored on hygiene and social distancing, heeding the guidelines released by health experts.
These are:
- Players shall wear face masks in the facility except during work out
- Staff shall wear gloves and face masks
- Players and staff members shall maintain a 12 feet distance from one another except for medical personnel and athletic trainers
- Players coming from outside of their home team shall be quarantined before being allowed in the facility
- Equipment used by players should be sanitized
- Steam rooms, cryotherapy chambers, and other similar facilities are prohibited
- A Facility Hygiene Officer shall be appointed to oversee sanitization protocols
- Players are prohibited from bringing in family, friends, and security into the facility
- Personal items that are often touched shall be disinfected before entering the facility
- No practice scrimmages
- Head and assistant coaches barred during voluntary workouts
- Players prohibited from working out in gyms and public fitness centers
The May 8 target
The NBA plans to reopen team facilities as early as May 8, although this is subject to change depending on how the next few weeks unfold. At the moment, it’s still too early to say how the league plans to ease back into its previous form as there’s a lot of uncertainty surrounding the outbreak.
Researchers and health experts are still baffled by the novel coronavirus as it continues to defy expectations. For instance, it’s being reported that COVID-19 is capable of causing strokes through blood clots, a phenomenon that has only cropped up in recent weeks.
Uncertain timeline
Due to this, the league is being prudent how they handle things from here, especially since a few of its stars have already tested positive in previous weeks. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver previously said that there are simply too many unknown variables on the table to announce a concrete timeline.
Fortunately for fans, The Last Dance docu-series is providing a much-needed entertainment for those who are itching for some NBA content. The series is centered on Michael Jordan and the iconic 97-98 run of the Chicago Bulls, providing never-before-seen footage that sheds more light on the team’s incredible performance.
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