NBA relaxes rules for vaccinated individuals

The NBA is relaxing some of its health and safety protocols for individuals who are fully vaccinated, changes including fewer mandated coronavirus tests, no quarantine requirements following contact-tracing issues and even the ability to visit restaurants again.

Only one team — the Pelicans — has acknowledged a team-wide vaccination effort, doing so last weekend after rules in Louisiana were amended and made it possible for the team to start the process for players, coaches and staff. No one in the NBA will be considered fully vaccinated until two weeks after receiving the final vaccine dose.

Once that happens, rules for some of those individuals will change, the NBA said in a memo sent early Thursday to teams. Daily point-of-care testing will not be required for players or head coaches prior to entering team facilities, nor will testing still be required on days off. Players who are fully vaccinated will not have to miss time even after being around someone who tested positive for COVID-19. Other benefits for those who are vaccinated, the league said, would include the ability to have other family members and friends visit their homes without a need for testing, and being able to have visitors at the team hotel on trips.

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