NBA to require players and some staff to wear sensors for COVID-19 contact tracing

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cmannphoto/iStockBy CARMEN COX, ABC News

(NEW YORK) — The NBA has new plans for managing the spread of COVID-19 during this year’s basketball season.  

A league memo obtained by ESPN outlines plans for players and some staffers to wear contract tracing sensors during team-organized activities with exception to games. The NBA will require Tier 1 and Tier 2 personnel (players, coaches and other specific staffers) to wear the Kinexon SafeZone device during team travel and local transport and during practices. The device will not record GPS location and will only activate when within 6 feet of another person wearing the device.

The league, which conceived the new precautionary strategy along with the players’ union and medical officials, began testing the new contact tracing measures Dec. 23. Officials expect to implement the plan in full on Jan. 7.

The NBA memo also states that players and staff who do not comply with the league’s sensor-wearing requirement will be subject to discipline. The memo does not include specific details about disciplinary action.

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