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| - NFL players will continue to undergo daily COVID-19 testing indefinitely under an agreement unveiled Saturday between the league and the NFL Players Association. Daily testing had been set to conclude on Saturday under a prior deal reached between the NFL and the players union. A memo sent to all 32 NFL teams, according to the league website, says that all players and individuals designated Tier 1 and Tier 2, such as coaches and trainers, will continue to receive daily coronavirus tests "until further notice" with the exception of game days. The pre-game test for NFL clubs will occur on the morning before game day, most often on Saturday morning ahead of a Sunday contest. NFLPA president J.C. Tretter, a center for the Cleveland Browns, had been outspoken for weeks about the need for daily testing throughout the season, which begins Thursday when reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City entertains Houston. Four NFL players and six other team personnel tested positive for COVID-19 beteen August 21-29, the league and union announced Tuesday, while there were no positives reported from tests taken August 12-20. The positive test ratio in the most recent tests was 0.1%, but that was during training camp with no pre-season games. With teams starting to travel ahead of next weekend's first major Sunday of NFL contests for the 2020 season, the risk of COVID-19 positives could grow as transport and hotels become involved. Face masks are recommended for all players on the sidelines, but they will not be required except where state and local regulations mandate. According to the NFL Network, only the Buffalo Bills and San Francisco 49ers home games would now fall into that category. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said Tuesday the NFL was "very fortunate" to have few positive tests so far and says the league has its best possible chance of playing the schedule in home stadiums as planned. "It will not be easy, and it will be different," Goodell said. "But we are prepared." js/rcw
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