All players of the 12 participating teams have already tested negative in the latest round of RT-PCR tests, the PBA announced Sunday.
This, indeed, is good news for the league after what has been a challenging week that led to a brief postponement of the season.
The PBA had to pause games in compliance with the recommendation of the IATF and the DOH after COVID-19 threatened the bubble in Clark.
A referee and a player initially tested positive for the virus, although antigen and RT-PCR re-tests declared that they were negative.
Still, the league didn’t take any chances and canceled three games, two of which involving Blackwater, where the player who tested positive belongs to.
But then, the IATF and the DOH stepped in and suggested to postpone the season until a new set of health protocols comes out.
Fortunately for the league, the stoppage won’t take long and will return on Tuesday as it committed to complying with the latest IATF recommendations.
Firstly, the completion of 10-day isolation of the Blackwater player from the date of swabbing before resuming the games.
Then, the completion of the 14-day quarantine and testing before entering the bubble for all those who will test positive moving forward.
Lastly, the appointment of an independent marshal who will oversee and ensure compliance with health and safety protocols, as recommended by the DILG.
In coordination with the Clark Development Corporation (CDC), the PBA will also be assigned its separate temporary quarantine facility within Clark.
These additional protocols from health experts are put in place to ensure the integrity of the bubble.
On Sunday, the league released a new schedule of the elimination round, and it will feature five quadruple-headers to finish such by Nov. 11.
0 Comments