NBA players, staff to have Covid-19 tests every other day
|Published
FILE - In this December 2019 file photo, Cleveland Cavaliers' Kevin Love, left, goes up to shoot against Philadelphia 76ers' Tobias Harris during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Philadelphia. Photo: Matt Slocum/AP FILE - In this December 2019 file photo, Cleveland Cavaliers' Kevin Love, left, goes up to shoot against Philadelphia 76ers' Tobias Harris during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Philadelphia. Photo: Matt Slocum/AP
LOS ANGELES – NBA teams will be tested every other day for the coronavirus beginning on June 23
as the league prepares to resume the season, according to multiple reports.
The league reportedly sent a memo to teams on Saturday, informing them that
players and essential team personnel who will be involved in the restarted
season will take both a Covid-19 test and an antibody test that day.
The NBA plans to resume play on July 30 with 22 teams that have a chance of
making the playoffs at Walt Disney World near Orlando, Florida. The season was
halted on March 11 because of the coronavirus.
After June 23, the players and staff will have the coronavirus test every
other day until two days before they leave for Florida. Training camp will
start there July 9.
The memo does not address what the testing protocol will be at Disney.
The NBA has been assured that their testing will not deprive health-care
workers, first responders and symptomatic patients in each league city of
adequate testing supplies, ESPN reported. The league also will provide free
testing for the public in each of the 21 cities that have teams participating
in the resumed season, the report said.