After N.F.L. cases more than doubled, the league strengthened its Covid-19 protocols and recommended teams help set up testing for families of players and team staff ahead of the holiday.
The N.F.L. strengthened its Covid-19 protocols as the number of positive cases rises across the country and people make plans to convene for Thanksgiving, and recommended facilitating testing for families of players and other employees. Every person, regardless of their vaccination status, must wear masks inside team facilities between Nov.25 and Dec.1, and all players, coaches and support staff also must be tested for the coronavirus on Nov.29 and Dec.1, after the Thanksgiving weekend. This season, unvaccinated players and football staff in the league’s Tier 1 designation, the most essential personnel, must be tested every day. Those who are vaccinated must be tested at least once per week, and potentially more if they are symptomatic or have a close contact with someone who tests positive. With Wednesday’s update to the protocols, unvaccinated players must wait for their results before entering a team facility, while vaccinated players and staff can enter their facilities, but must remain masked while they wait for results. In a memo sent to all 32 teams Tuesday night, the league also urged clubs to set up drive-through testing facilities for players, staff and any friends and family who may visit them for the holiday.
