NFL to require boosters for some coaches, staff, amid uptick in COVID-19 cases in league

The NFL is requiring that some coaches and staffers receive a COVID-19 booster shot this month amid an uptick in coronavirus infections across the league.

The league sent a memo to teams on Monday informing them that all eligible Tier 1 and Tier 2 staff must get their COVID-19 booster shot by Dec. 27.

“In accordance with the CDC recommendation, all Tier 1 and Tier 2 staff, who have previously been vaccinated and are eligible under the CDC guidelines, must receive a booster shot no later than December 27,” the league wrote in its memo, which was obtained by The Hill.

The league said that in accordance with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), individuals who completed their Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccination series more than six months ago must receive the third jab. Individuals who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine more than two months ago must also get a booster shot.

The league pointed to a study from the CDC released last month that recommended booster shots for all eligible individuals because the effectiveness of initial vaccines may decrease over time.

Individuals who are not eligible for a booster shot because they are within six months of getting a second Pfizer or Moderna shot are not mandated to get an additional jab this month, the NFL said. Personnel who are “in the 90-day test holiday after a confirmed positive COVID test” are also exempt from the new policy.

Additionally, individuals who received monoclonal antibodies within the previous 90 days and those whose “S” antibody levels are 2,500 or greater are not subject to the new requirement.

Eligible staffers must receive the booster shot by Dec. 27 in order to retain tiered status under the protocols, the NFL told its teams.

The league said that individuals who are not currently subject to the new policy must get the jab within 14 days of becoming eligible.

“We recommend that clubs arrange to provide booster shots to all eligible tiered staff as soon as possible to ensure that we continue to reduce risk of transmission and allow us to complete the NFL season safely during the pandemic,” the league wrote in the memo to teams.

“Clubs should also consider making booster shots available for player and staff families and cohabitants. We are working with health care providers to facilitate access to and distribution of booster shots to any club needing assistance,” it added.

The league previously required that all Tier 1 and Tier 2 employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19 unless they had an underlying health condition.

Players, however, are not mandated to get inoculated because the NFL Players Association will not agree to such a policy.