How Long Do NBA Players Have to Quarantine?
How long do NBA players have to quarantine when they test positive for COVID-19? We break down the league’s protocol and what it means for the 2020-21 season.
Introduction
The NBA has released its health and safety protocols for the 2020-21 season, which includes a mandatory 10-day quarantine for all players entering the league.
Players who test positive for COVID-19 will have to quarantine for at least 10 days, while those who test negative will have to quarantine for at least seven days. If a player tests positive during their initial 10-day quarantine, they will have to remain in isolation for at least an additional 10 days.
The league is also implementing a “health monitoring program” for all players, which will include daily testing and regular check-ins with team medical staff. Players who violate the health and safety protocols will be subject to “significant discipline,” including suspensions and fines.
NBA’s Quarantine Protocol
Before the 2020 NBA season restart, all 22 teams competing spent at least two weeks in quarantine at a campus near Orlando, Florida. During that time, players were tested for COVID-19 every other day. If a player tests positive, he is isolated from the rest of the team and cannot return until he tests negative twice in a row.
Players’ Quarantine Experience
Players get a hotel room to themselves and are quarantined away from their families for the duration of the season. While in quarantine, players have access to a chef and team staff, who deliver meals to their rooms. Players can also leave their rooms to work out in the team’s facility or to receive treatment from team staff.
Conclusion
Based on the information that we gathered, it appears that NBA players will have to quarantine for at least 10 days following their arrival to the Disney campus. This is in line with other professional sports leagues, such as the NHL and MLB, which have also implemented similar protocols. While quarantining may be inconvenient for some, it is necessary in order to ensure the safety of all involved.
