The NBA is not requiring players to get the COVID-19 vaccine

In a controversial decision, the NBA has decided to not require vaccines for their players as the season begins.

By Kulia Osborne
Sports Reporter

The NBA has decided to not make vaccinations mandatory for their players, and while that sounds unbelievable for a sport that lost an entire season to this misguided confidence in the invulnerability to covid, it doesn’t mean they’re not asking very kindly. I’d like to liken it to Saint Mary’s: while there are ways for you to not have to get vaccinated, the vaccinated individuals don’t have to get weekly covid tests anymore. 

Players who are vaccinated aren’t held to the same standards as the ones who are not. Players who haven’t received the covid vaccine will be required to get tested everyday before entering the team facilities. This is in  stark contrast with  players who are vaccinated, who only have to get tested when they show clear signs of symptoms or when it’s mandated for them by the actual officials. According to NBA rules, unvaccinated individuals are not allowed to dine with vaccinated players in doors. These rules extend all the way to how close vaccinated players can be to non vaccinated players. However, all players will be mandated to wear their masks inside. 

A recent update is that 95% of players are now vaccinated, and we’ll have to see how these decisions will affect the course of teams in the future.