The National Basketball Association reportedly will not require players in the league to be part of its vaccine mandates.
NBA team personnel and league referees will have to have the COVID-19 vaccination for the upcoming 2021-2022 season, but players do not appear to be part of that decision, ESPN’s Baxter Holmes and Adrian Wojnarowski reported in a piece published Tuesday. (RELATED: Former FDA Chief Says Biden Went Too Far With Vaccine Mandate And Made Jabs ‘Overtly Political’)
NBA players not required to get COVID-19 vaccine: report https://t.co/012xnWaPlm pic.twitter.com/0asv2TomjG
— The Hill (@thehill) September 15, 2021
Discussions about coronavirus protocols for the season continue between the league and NBPA as the player’s union has reportedly made it clear that requiring players to be vaccinated is a “non-starter.” (RELATED: Fox News Poll: Majority Of Americans Support Vaccine Mandates, Passports)
Close to 85% of players in the league are currently vaccinated for the virus, a spokesman for the league shared with the outlet.
In a recent email obtained by ESPN, the league reportedly has released its protocols for unvaccinated players during the season. Some of those rules include, separating vaccinated teammates from unvaccinated ones when it comes to riding buses, eating, flying and their lockers.
Teams in both New York and San Francisco have also been notified players will be subject to local vaccination mandates in those cities. The Brooklyn Nets, New York Knicks and Golden State Warriors players who aren’t vaccinated will have to provide proof an approved medical or religious exemption.