NASHVILLE - SEPTEMBER 12: General view of the American flag on the field before the NFL season opener between the Tennessee Titans and Oakland Raiders at LP Field on September 12, 2010 in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans defeated the Raiders 38-13. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)The U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) just made a huge announcement that should have a major impact on sports around the country.
On Monday, the CDC announced that it is cutting isolation restrictions on those who test positive for COVID-19 in half. Asymptomatic people who get the virus or come into contact with those who have can now leave isolation after five days. The previous mark was 10 days.
This change will almost certainly have a big impact in the sports world. Most sports leagues attempt to mirror CDC guidelines as best they can, and have placed 10- to 14-day restrictions on players who test positive for COVID-19.
As you can imagine, the sports world is buzzing following the CDC announcement. Many believe that professional sports leagues and the NCAA will quickly pick up and mirror the policies:
New: The CDC is shortening the recommended time for isolation from 10 days for people with COVID-19 to 5 days, if asymptomatic, followed by 5 days of wearing a mask when around others.
Have to think the NCAA/pro sports/other organizations will mirror this policy.
— Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) December 27, 2021
JUST IN via @AP: ATLANTA (AP) — US officials cut isolation time for people who test positive for coronavirus, trim quarantine period for close contacts
This is MASSIVE for college sports, as the NCAA follows CDC guidelines. pic.twitter.com/X1e8evofzQ
— Adam Winkler (@AdamWinkABC13) December 27, 2021
As of today, the NFL/NFLPA policy requires unvaccinated players to isolate for 10 days. The CDC 5-day period is for vaccinated and unvaccinated. NFL/NFLPA not obligated to match but will certainly be of interest for discussion…
— Kevin Seifert (@SeifertESPN) December 27, 2021
The NFL has continued to operate with a 10-day isolation for unvaxxed, with provisions for vaccinated individuals to test out of isolation sooner. It will be interesting to see if and how quickly the NFL + NFLPA adjust protocols based on new CDC guidelines.
— Lindsay Jones (@bylindsayhjones) December 27, 2021
COVID-19 has run roughshod through the sports world for nearly two years now. There’s also been a massive surge in new cases over the past few weeks amid the outbreak of variant strains.
Basketball games have been postponed, college football bowl games have been canceled and NFL games have been rescheduled. There doesn’t appear to be much end in sight.
We’ll see if these new guidelines wind up helping leagues in the coming weeks and months though.
