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LOS ANGELES (CNS) - The National Hockey League has implemented enhanced COVID-19 measures after outbreaks at several teams postponed multiple games, including the Anaheim Ducks' matchup with the Calgary Flames that was scheduled for Tuesday.
The league and its players association announced the immediate adoption of revised protocols on Saturday, including daily testing and masks at club facilities, which will remain in effect through the New Year, and be re- evaluated no later than Jan. 7.
The Anaheim Ducks three-game trip through Canada, including the matchup with Calgary, which was hit by a COVID-19 outbreak among its players, coaches and staff, are expected to be rescheduled. Other NHL teams are also dealing with positive cases.
``... Due to concern with the number of positive cases within the last two days, as well concern for continued COVID spread in the coming days, the Colorado Avalanche's and Florida Panthers' games also will be postponed at least through the scheduled completion of the league's holiday break in the schedule on Dec. 26,'' the league said in a statement last week.
The league is in the process of reviewing and revising all three teams' regular season schedules.
The safety measures that will apply to both vaccinated and unvaccinated personnel include:
-- Daily COVID-19 molecular testing (preferably, molecular point-of-care) for all members of the club traveling party;
-- Wearing masks at all times inside club facilities and during travel;
-- Physical distancing for meals, and a prohibition against eating or drinking in indoor restaurants, bars and similar establishments open to the public while on the road, except in a private room or cordoned-off area;
-- Virtual meetings, or only brief in-person meetings in large well- ventilated spaces;
-- Restricted access to the locker room and player bench area to only players and members of the club traveling party;
-- All media/broadcast personnel are now required to be masked at all times when they are within 12 feet of players;
More information can be found at https://media.nhl.com/site/asset/public/ext/2021-22/EnhancedMeasures.pdf.
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