48 NBA players test positive for COVID-19 as training camps open across U.S. Social Sharing

https://www.cbc.ca/sports/basketball/nba/nba-training-camp-coronavirus-numbers-1.5826110

The NBA said Wednesday that 48 players have tested positive for the coronavirus since testing resumed last week.

The league and National Basketball Players Association said 546 players were tested between Nov. 24-30 in the initial phase of testing after returning to team markets. That means about nine per cent of the tests were positive.

Any player with a confirmed positive test is isolated until cleared by rules established by the league and union, in accordance with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control. The league's health and safety protocols for this season say that anyone with a positive test in this precamp phase "must receive medical clearance from a team-designated physician and a league-designated physician prior to entering a team facility, participating in in-person team-organized activities, or interacting in-person with other" members of their team.

My Notes

48 out of 546 is not good.

I think there are more infections than that.  A person can test negative early so I guess they will need to keep testing regularly to identify any new cases.

The current spread is significantly more advanced than it was during the restart.

The infection rate among the general population is around 7.2 %

The NBA sample yields 8.79%

0 to 12% of PCR tests for Covid-19 give false positives, but it is very rare for someone with a false positive to retest positive shortly thereafter. Thus, test twice to be sure.

Regarding false positives, 17% of atypia breast biopsies are false positives! Retest positive breast lump biopsies!

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2015/03/18/393831966/how-much-can-women-trust-that-breast-cancer-biopsy

Just my guess...

The New NBA season stands a good chance of being paused within the first month. Same for NCAA hoops.

Compared to football, which is having it’s own problems continuing, direct contact of the type that allows virus transmission is much higher in basketball. I need no medical background, just practical experience, to be sure that basketball is the higher potential transmitter.

I think a pause followed by a return similar to last summer is coming. If a vaccine is being widely distributed by summer as expected, I think a full NBA season could next happen in ‘22 - ‘23.

NYCelt

It seems quite impossible that the NBA season can begin on the 15th of December.  Athletes are probably not at the front of the line for getting vaccinated.  Outside of a bubble environment there is little chance to control the spread.   Players are probably not wanting to go back into that set up again.

NBA players are not allowed to go to bars or clubs under new COVID-19 health and safety guidelines

https://sports.yahoo.com/nba-players-are-not-allowed-to-go-to-bars-or-clubs-under-new-covid-19-health-and-safety-guidelines-200226642.html

The NBA is tightening up its health and safety guidelines for the 2020-21 season. A week after sending out a 134-page memo detailing new COVID-19 policies, the NBA sent out a longer, revised list of protocols for players and staff members this season.

The new 158-page memo details what players can and cannot do when they are not at their team’s facility. Under the new guidelines, Tier 1 and Tier 2 individuals will be prohibited from going to bars, clubs or indoor social gatherings of 15 or more people.

Each team can designate up to 45 people as Tier 1 individuals. That list will include players and designated on-court staff like coaches or trainers. Tier 2 will consist of any team staff member who will regularly interact with Tier 1 individuals, but can do so while following social distancing guidelines and wearing a mask. Tier 2 might consist of team staff members, medical staff who don’t need to get close to players and food service workers, among others.

Players, staff and family members will receive regular COVID tests
Tier 1 and Tier 2 individuals will also be subject to daily PCR tests. These tests will “not adversely impact the availability of testing for healthcare workers, emergency responders, symptomatic patients, or other high priority groups in each team’s local community,” according to the memo.

With the league moving away from the bubble, the NBA will offer twice-a-week PCR tests to any individual who resides in the same house as a Tier 1 or Tier 2 individual.

repost from Bobh post yesterday

Gary Washburn @GwashburnGlobe
4 minutes ago
Brad Stevens said the #Celtics have members of the organization in the COVID protocol but he is not allowed to say who specifically.

Sounds like actual Covid 19 cases or potential exposure to Covid 19.

The guidelines introduced are strong and penalties may be assessed for violations.

Harden, who sources say has expressed a desire to be traded to the Brooklyn Nets, posted pictures on Instagram over the weekend that showed him attending rapper Lil Baby's birthday party in Atlanta without wearing a face mask.

Note:  This is the reason why without a tightly controlled bubble, the NBA will not be able to stop the spread among the players, etc.