The NFL and NFL Players Association have suspended all COVID-19 protocols, the league announced a memo sent to all all 32 teams on Thursday. The football league, justifying its decision, cited recent trends showing that the spread of the coronavirus is declining.
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The NFL in the memo said that it will no longer conduct surveillance testing of any players or staff, regardless of vaccination status. Testing will occur only when clinically indicated or at the direction of a team physician.
The memo mentioned “encouraging trends regarding the prevalence and severity of COVID-19, the evolving guidance from the CDC, changes to state law and the counsel of our respective experts” as reasons for the move.
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Masks will no longer be required around the team facility, the memo further read. Teams are required to remain in compliance with state and local laws and may continue “reasonable measures to protect their staff and players,” said the memo obtained by The Associated Press.
Should the NFL find reasons to reimpose any aspects of the protocols, it will do so in conjunction with the NFL Players Association.
Weight room restrictions, including capacity limits, have been dropped, though each team can impose its own rules for weight room usage.
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Contact tracing devices have not been required since Jan. 3, and the service is being discontinued.
The league is encouraging everyone to continue monitoring for symptoms of COVID-19 on a daily basis before entering the team facility. Any individual who tests positive must isolate for five days after the positive test.
No NFL games were canceled during the past two seasons because of the pandemic, though many were moved during the 2020 schedule. About 95% of the players and nearly 100% of team personnel were vaccinated, the league reported.