Browns cancel Sunday’s practice due to concerns over COVID-19 tests
Due to potential positive tests and/or irregularities in the NFL’s COVID-19 testing processing, the Cleveland Browns have canceled Sunday’s practice session in Berea.
Form the NFL’s statement that encompasses several teams, notably the Browns and the Chicago Bears, who also canceled Sunday activities,
“Saturday’s daily COVID testing returned several positives tests from each of the clubs serviced by the same laboratory in New Jersey. We are working with our testing partner, BioReference, to investigate these results, while the clubs work to confirm or rule out the positive tests. Clubs are taking immediate precautionary measures as outlined in the NFL-NFLPA’s health and safety protocols to include contact tracing, isolation of individuals and temporarily adjusting the schedule, where appropriate. The other laboratories used for NFL testing have not had similar results.”
The Browns released a statement that read in part,
“After consistently receiving encouraging results from daily testing since returning to the facility in July, the Cleveland Browns’ COVID-19 testing process conducted yesterday initially indicates multiple individual presumptive positive cases that include players, coaches and support staff.
Although, we have received indication from the NFL that they are investigating irregularities in lab results that have also impacted other clubs, out of an abundance of caution, we will immediately follow our comprehensive Infectious Disease Emergency Response plan and pause any activity in our building today and conduct meetings virtually.”
The Browns have not had a positive test in over two weeks, and all players have been subjected to stringent protocols ever since their arrival at training camp.
Stay tuned for more information as it develops.
