NBA Announces 1 Positive COVID-19 Test Since Jan. 20; Down from 11 Last Week
The NBA announced one player tested positive for COVID-19 for the week of testing that began Jan. 20, down from 11 the previous week.
A total of 492 players were tested. Players are tested twice daily in an effort to ensure safety and mitigate any potential spread of the virus.
The league has been subject to several game postponements during the 2020-21 season because of outbreaks among teams and the league's contact tracing policies. Teams are required to have at least eight players available for games, and contact tracing of players due to their close proximities has led to some teams having extended hiatuses.
The Washington Wizards had six games postponed over a two-week span due to a team outbreak. The Memphis Grizzlies have not played since Jan. 18 due to their own COVID-19 issues.
Memphis and Washington have played an NBA-low 13 games; every other team has at least 15 games played, and the Brooklyn Nets and New York Knicks have already played 19.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said last week the league has discussed players taking the COVID-19 vaccine in an attempt to quell public skepticism regarding vaccination. The vaccine has had a slower-than-expected rollout nationwide but also has skeptics who question its safety because it did not undergo a typical process for approval. There is no scientific evidence saying the vaccine is in any way unsafe.
"Several public health officials—and this is operating state by state right now—have suggested there would be a real public health benefit to getting some very high-profile African Americans vaccinated to demonstrate to the larger community that it is safe and effective," Silver said at a virtual conference held by Sportico.
"At the appropriate time, whenever that is and whether that's directed federally by NIH or CDC or ultimately state-by-state programs, we think there's real value in our players demonstrating to a broader community how important it is to get vaccinated."
