MLB Announces Great Plan to Help Public as Well as Players With Coronavirus Testing
By Tyler Kemp
MLB was due to start up right before COVID-19 swept the country, as Spring Training was winding to a close. With the possibility of the league coming back sometime soon, all options are being considered in order to determine what is the best way to proceed from a health perspective.
The MLB is already taking steps to ensure the safety of players, as well as limit their exposure to COVID-19.
Update on MLB's proposal: The league plans to partner with the Sports Medicine Research and Testing Laboratory, the lab that runs its PED program, to turn it into a coronavirus testing facility to handle testing for baseball and the general public.https://t.co/UOz38khPRv
— Jared Diamond (@jareddiamond) May 14, 2020
Using its resources with the Sports Medicine Research and Testing Laboratory is an innovative way to make sure health is a primary concern in the league. The lab will also be available to the general public.
While said program was previously employed in steroid and performance-enhancing drug busts, MLB will not ask for its help in a far greater challenge.
The results of the coronavirus study of close to 10,000 MLB employees are almost in and word is about 1% of them were found to have Covid-19 antibodies. MLB participated to aid researchers in determining the # affected in various locales. To date in US, .37% have tested positive.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) May 6, 2020
With the ongoing revenue dispute, the MLB is emphasizing player safety along with the financial obligations involved in the day-to-day ins and outs of running a professional sports league. Trying to responsibly do so without putting the lives of others at risk is a challenge, but one MLB plans to embrace.
MLB is taking positive steps towards helping its players as well as the general public in the process.