Report: NBA coaches, staff who interact with players required to take COVID-19 vaccine

NBA team and league employees who interact with players and referees will be required to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, The Athletic's Shams Charania reported.

Per the report, the policy specifically lists coaches, front office and medical staff, security, team communications staff, scorer's table staff and attendants.

Other vaccine requirements around sports

The policy is similar to one put in place by the NFL that requires coaches and staff to be vaccinated in order to interact with players. The Miami Heat announced last week that staff who don't meet medical or "sincerely held religious belief" exemptions must be vaccinated by Sept. 1 or risk losing their jobs. The Portland Trail Blazers and Golden State Warriors are among a growing list of U.S. sports teams requiring adult attendees of games to show proof of vaccination.

News of the NBA's reported policy arrives four days after the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine received full FDA approval for adults 16 and older, a step that paves the way for more employers to enact vaccine requirements. Prior to the FDA announcement, the Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines were administered under the agency's Emergency Use Authorization, which still applies to the latter two.

NBA players are not required to receive a vaccine. NBPA executive director Michele Roberts told Yahoo Sports' Vincent Goodwill in July that 90% of the league's players had been vaccinated.