Anthony Barr added to COVID-IR
Joe Johnson
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If a baker’s dozen is 13, then a COVID dozen is eight for the Vikings as they officially hit the 10% mark in terms of how many of their reduced camp roster of 80 either tested positive for COVID-19 or were in close contact with someone with the virus. Barr was set to take his second COVID test today (as the bar for entry is two negative tests, apparently).
Defensive end Ifeadi Odenigbo, receiver Justin Jefferson, linebacker Cameron Smith, tackle Oli Udoh, safety Brian Cole, tackle Blake Brandel and guard Tyler Higby were already on the list, with newly signed nose tackle Michael Pierce opting out of his 2020 contract due to his asthma.
I’ve written ad nauseam about this situation and my thoughts on how to best mitigate basically every problem with it. I’ll give you a hint, it rhymes with NFL Europe.
Click here to read that perfect answer to a complicated question:
Beyond that, depending on whether Barr tested positive (and has symptoms) or was just in contact with someone who presented symptoms determines how soon he will return to the team.
According to the Star Tribune:
“Players on the list must remain in quarantine until clearing testing protocols. Symptomatic cases require at least 10 days, including 72 hours since the latest symptoms. Positive tests without symptoms can return in as early as five days, as long as the player twice tests negative.”
And they haven’t even begun to interact with one another, thankfully. But during the season how are they going to monitor this situation?
The spikes in new COVID cases nation-wide have put a massive strain on the labs that run these tests and even with a special sports league deal where they get results in a day or two (when us regular folk are waiting a lot longer), what happens if a player catches COVID during the season and is around his teammates for those one or two days?
For a great read on the cost and other questions surrounding this, peep Michael Rand’s article from last week on that.
https://m.startribune.com/how-often-nfl-tests-for-coronavirus-could-be-100-million-question/571800012/
Hopefully NFL players will practice restraint during the season and semi-quarantine themselves… and have their wives or girlfriends quit their jobs and move in with them and cut off their friends and family… and also decide to home school their kids.
See? Like most things, like my pending mid-life crisis, Europe is the answer! That reminds me of our new sponsor! Wives from the Baltic Sea dot USSR!
Stay tuned for more inevitable COVID fallout and for the love of god wear a mask, tough guy. You can worry about your health all you want but its not for your health its for everyone elses (as masks are to prevent sick people from spreading COVID, not healthy people from contracting it (at least not evenly)).