The NBA has announced that it will aim to open up team facilities no sooner than May 8 in markets that have stopped stay-at-home orders. The facilities will be limited to a maximum of four players and one member of the franchise’s staff at once. Players must wear face masks at all times except during physical activity. The staff member must wear gloves and implement physical distancing of at least 12 feet. Each franchise will also need to appoint a Facility Hygiene Officer.
In a memo sent to team, the NBA said it will not regularly schedule COVID-19 testing, something the league had been looking into previously. “It is not possible or appropriate in the current public health context to regularly test all players and staff for COVID-19,” the memo said. Players will need to take regular resting ECG and troponin tests, however.=
The NBA season has been suspended since March 11 when Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert tested positive for the coronavirus ahead of a matchup with Oklahoma City.
