COVID protocols include weekly 'surveillance testing' for unvaxxed

A view of the NBA logo Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

NBA's 2022-2023 COVID-19 protocols include weekly 'surveillance testing' for unvaccinated players

By Victor Barbosa | Last updated Aug 30, 2022 3:33 PM ET

The countdown to tipoff of the 2022-2023 NBA regular season is now under 50 days. On Tuesday, reports came out regarding how the league will be handling the COVID-19 pandemic.

This will be the fourth season (third full season) since the pandemic began. Here are the protocols the Association will have in place.

NBA’s Health and Safety COVID-19 Protocols for 2022-23 season, per sources:

- Once-weekly surveillance testing for unvaccinated players
- Vaccinated players only test when symptomatic
- Isolation immediately upon positive test
- Face masks not required
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 30, 2022

According to a report from The Athletic, players will still be required by the Canadian government to be vaccinated or have a medical exemption to enter the country for games against the Toronto Raptors. There were 11 games during the 2021-2022 NBA regular season that were rescheduled due to COVID-19.

Opening night of the upcoming campaign is scheduled for Oct. 18 with a pair of contests featuring the Boston Celtics vs. the Philadelphia 76ers and the Golden State Warriors vs. the Los Angeles Lakers.

Victor Barbosa

Victor Barbosa is a passionate follower of MLB, the NBA and NFL, with a deep interest in Boston-area teams. He graduated from Springfield College -- The Birthplace of Basketball -- in 2013 with a degree in Communications-Sports Journalism. Previous bylines include FanSided, Heavy and Syracuse

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