NFL: Over 90% of players have had at least 1 dose of vaccine
More than 90% of NFL players are at least one shot into the vaccination process, league executives said in a conference call Wednesday, according to The Athletic's Lindsay Jones.
The update comes as the Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers prepare to kick off the 2021 preseason on Thursday.
While players who are vaccinated will enjoy more relaxed protocols at team facilities, the league hasn't yet considered enhancing protocols for clubs in areas where the Delta variant of the coronavirus is running rampant.
"We have to be vigilant, applying the same standards across our clubs to keep everyone healthy," said Dr. Allen Sills, the NFL's chief medical officer.
The NFLPA is recommending the league test players and staff every day - regardless of their vaccination status - as they enter their respective team facilities. But Sills said a change in the existing protocol is not yet necessary. Currently, the league requires unvaccinated players to test daily and vaccinated players once every two weeks.
The NFLPA cited two outbreaks inside club facilities with the Atlanta Falcons and Miami Dolphins during the first week of training camp. Sills referred to both instances instead as a cluster of positive cases rather than an outbreak.
"We'll review this data, talk about it with the NFLPA and their advisors. We'll adjust the protocols based on the data," he said.