What are the updated NBA covid-19 protocols?

The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association have come to an accord on new health protocols that will shorten quarantine periods for covid 19-positive players.

The new policy will make them eligible to return to the court only six days after testing positive, according to multiple reports.

Only for the asymptomatic and vaccinated

Players can only come out of the health protocols if they are judged to no longer be infectious. The new policy will only be valid for vaccinated individuals who are asymptomatic, and will apply to players, coaches, referees, and staff members.

They will be tested on their threshold cycle to determine if they are still likely to infect other people.

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The shortened quarantine period is likely to clear a number of players who are currently in protocols. Prior guidelines require players who test positive to isolate themselves for ten days.

They may also come out of isolation if they are able to show two tests with negative results taken 24 hours apart.

Relief for the NBA

With players being able to exit quarantine sooner, the burden on the league will be lifted somewhat, as the recent surge in covid-19 cases has left many teams struggling to come up with eight players, which is the minimum number to be allowed to play.

There has been a significant surge in cases of covid-19 in the NBA recently. More than 200 players and coaches have gone under the the league’s health and safety protocols this season, most of them entering this month alone.

The NBA announced its new policy on the same day that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention trimmed its recommended quarantine period for asymptomatic people who have tested positive for covid-19 from ten days to only five.