NFL tightens rules to stem outbreak

LOS ANGELES • The National Football League (NFL) has stepped up its pandemic protocols with tougher restrictions taking effect tomorrow to try and mitigate the spread of coronavirus on the same day the Las Vegas Raiders found themselves in the midst of another outbreak.

The stricter measures, which will last until the end of the season, include forcing American football players to wear masks during practice sessions, a 15-minute time limit per person in the dressing room, and making sure all players and coaches have a negative test from the previous day before being allowed into the club's facilities.

"Flexibility and adaptability have been critical to our success to date and we must continue with that approach," NFL commissioner Roger Goodell wrote in a memo to all the teams on Wednesday.

The league also said in the memo that 28 of the 32 teams had already been slapped with temporary stricter measures for Covid-19 reasons. Of the number, 16 had been on them more than once.

"The upcoming holidays... will introduce new risks of exposure that we need to address now," Goodell added.

"Because we have a highly sophisticated programme of daily testing, we know when the virus enters our facilities, which underscores the importance of contact tracing and other steps to minimise close contacts within a facility."

Other protocols include holding meetings virtually unless outdoors or with pre-approval for indoors, locker room usage discouraged on non-game days, meals served on a grab-and-go basis and limits of 10 players in the weight room at one time.

According to the latest test results announced by the league earlier this week, 95 players and 175 team staff had tested positive until last Saturday since monitoring began in August.

Teams have continued to report cases of Covid-19 despite safety protocols put in place this season.

On Wednesday, the Raiders placed seven more players on the Covid-19 reserve list, four days before they are due to host Super Bowl champions Kansas City Chiefs.

Eleven Raiders are now on the list, although the game is expected to go ahead.

Their other players will be limited to virtual practices and meetings until then and will not be allowed on the practice field together.

In a separate development, the Los Angeles Rams also confirmed a Covid-19 case - their first positive result this season.

The team said on Wednesday that they had placed tight end Kendall Blanton, defensive back Jake Gervase and wide receiver J.J. Koski on the Covid-19 reserve list.

The NFL has not cancelled any games, with 19 teams admitting fans this season.

But the league last week introduced provisions for an expanded play-off pool should Covid-19 force cancellations, with an ultimate goal of seeing the season end with the February Super Bowl in Tampa, Florida.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS