Over the last few months, NFL vaccination numbers have risen for both teams and players, and at least one team is now said to be fully inoculated.
NFL Teams Above 75 Percent Inoculated
In a recently published article in MSN News, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, all 32 NFL teams had a vaccination percentage of more than 75 percent as of Saturday. Twenty-five teams had vaccination rates of more than 90 percent, with 15 having vaccination rates of 95 percent or higher.
The NFL published updated COVID-19 guidelines earlier this summer that explicitly emphasized vaccination. Players who refuse to take the vaccination will be subjected to stricter restrictions and regular testing. The new guidelines were released to make sure that there will be no outbreaks inside the league.
Meanwhile, the NFL and NFLPA agreed to regulations and limitations depending on vaccination status in a letter acquired by NFL Network's Tom Peliserro. Testing, travel, access to facilities, and living outside of the field are all different, according to a published article in NBC Sports.
Atlanta Falcons are Fully Vaccinated
The Atlanta Falcons, who informed ESPN on Monday that they are completely vaccinated, are thought to be the first NFL club to achieve this milestone. Atlanta has also been proactive in the community with immunizations, providing shots during the team's preseason game last Friday and practice inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium earlier this month.
At the outset of training camp, the Falcons had five players on the reserve/COVID-19 list, but all of them have since been removed. Atlanta was one of two clubs to experience a COVID-19 outbreak in the preseason, according to the NFL Players Association. However, Dr. Allen Sills, the NFL's senior medical officer, has denied that the Falcons are experiencing an outbreak.
Atlanta Falcons coach Arthur Smith said "They are very subjective terms, right? So, you guys are out here at practice every day. We went through an outbreak last year when I was in Tennessee. Completely different times and there weren't vaccinations. We were in a completely different environment right now. I'm not going to go into any comments, but it's pretty obvious, you guys come out here every day for work. You would know," according to a published report in AoL.
NFL and NFLPA Agreed to New COVID-19 Protocols
All NFL coaches, front-office executives, equipment managers, and scouts must be vaccinated. According to an agreement with the NFLPA, players are not required to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, but those who do are subject to stricter protocols during training camp and throughout the season, including daily testing, mask wear, and travel restrictions that vaccinated players are exempt from.
Meanwhile, because the 2021 NFL season approaches, the league and therefore the NFL Players Association have agreed to new COVID-19 guidelines for players and staff, which significantly favor those that have received all of their vaccines.
In addition, while not with the team, vaccinated players and staff personnel have simpler access to all team facilities, travel, and may connect with friends and family. On the other hand, The procedures for individuals who have not been vaccinated are identical to those in 2020. There are limitations inside the institution, including daily testing, quarantine with exposure, and significant penalties for leaving the facility to visit a restaurant or club.
