The National Football League is reportedly instructing teams to beef up their COVID-19 protocols as cases of the disease surge throughout the United States.
Teams will be required to make all meetings virtual, and players and staff will be forced to wear masks at team facilities at all times, including during practice, ESPN reported, citing a memo distributed by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell on Wednesday.
“It has been said many times that our 2020 season cannot be ‘normal’ because nothing about this year is normal,” Goodell wrote. “Flexibility and adaptability have been critical to our success to date and we must continue with that approach.”
Teams were originally required to adopt the intensive protocols only when someone in their building tested positive for the disease, but now, the protocols will apply to all teams regardless of a positive test. The NFL confirmed that 28 teams have already entered the intensive protocols at least once this season.
All players are already required to wear contact-tracing devices so the league and players union can quickly identify members of the team who might have been in contact with people who test positive.
“As we continue through the season, it will likely be necessary to take further steps to address broader conditions,” the memo said. “In conjunction with our medical advisers and the NFLPA, we will continue to incorporate our experience and implement enhancements to the protocols and communicate with each of you on a regular basis.”
