NBA reduces Covid-19 isolation time for some players: report

The NBA has reduced quarantine time from 10 days to six for vaccinated players and coaches who come into contact with Covid-19 or contract the disease but are asymptomatic, ESPN reported Monday.

Teams were informed in a league memo obtained by ESPN about the move, which came the same day the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reduced the isolation time for those with asymptomatic Covid-19 from 10 days to five.

The quicker return time for players to active status was agreed to by the league and the players union. It comes after the NBA has postponed nine games because at least one team could not field the minimum eight players due to Covid-19 absences.

People can also move out of Covid-19 quarantine with two negative test results 24 hours or more apart.

The NBA is dealing with record numbers of players entering its Covid-19 health and safety protocols, with 205 for the season, 192 in December and 169 of those doing so within the past two weeks, according to ESPN.

A one-day season-high of 27 players entered protocols on Sunday, 10 more than Thursday’s prior mark, ESPN noted.

The league has started a post-Christmas period of increased testing.