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The NBA sent a memo to all teams on Friday stating that people around players and referees should be fully vaccinated before games start.
The memo, obtained by The Associated Press says those who will be in the bench areas, traveling with a team, with access to locker rooms and people at the score table should be fully immunized.
The note provided a list of people who should be vaccinated which included coaches, medical and performance staff, equipment staff, media relations, social media producers and others.
Team staff must be fully immunized by October 1 to continue working with players, according to the outlet.
Match-day staff must be fully immunized prior to the first match to be part of the event.
Those who do not get the vaccine cannot go to away games with the team, must wear a mask indoors at all times and “It will be prohibited to have any face-to-face interaction with a player or a referee or to be within 15 feet of them.”
Exemptions will be granted to people with religious or medical reasons. Unionized workers are also not affected by the vaccine requirement.
The policy may be changed after federal agencies issue guidelines for booster injections.
The memo does not say players will need to be fully immunized.
The move mimics the NFL, which demanded that those around the players be fully immunized, but not the players themselves.
Some NFL team staff, including assistant coaches, have left their positions due to the vaccination mandate.
The Hill has reached out to the NBA for comment.
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