The Latest: 12 of 30 MLB teams able to relax virus protocols

The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world:

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Five more teams have been able to relax coronavirus protocols after 85% of their players and other on-field personnel completed vaccination, raising the total to 12 of the 30 clubs.

Major League Baseball and its players’ union said Friday that four additional teams had reached the 85% level of having received final doses and would be able to relax protocols within two weeks once they are fully vaccinated. The teams were not identified.

Relaxed protocols include dropping the requirements for facemasks in dugouts and bullpens, and loosening restrictions on mobility during road trips.

MLB said 83.9% of all tier 1 individuals such as players, managers, coaches, trainers and support personnel had been partially or fully vaccinated.

There were 10 new positive results among 10,639 monitoring tests in the past week — three players and seven staff, a 0.09% positive rate. The New York Yankees said they had eight positive tests: shortstop Gleyber Torres, pitching coach Matt Blake, third base coach Phil Nevin, first base coach Reggie Willits and four traveling staff.

Thus far this season, there have been 54 positive tests — 30 players and 24 staff — among 156,276 samples tested, a 0.03% positive rate. The positive tests are among 22 teams.

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Justin Haley will miss this weekend’s NASCAR races at Dover because of COVID-19 protocols.

Josh Berry will make his Cup Series debut for Spire Motorsports driving for Haley in Sunday’s Cup race at Dover International Speedway. Berry has one win this season in the second-tier Xfinity Series.

Zane Smith will drive the No. 11 Chevrolet at Dover in Saturday’s Xfinity Series race. Haley has six top-10 finishes in nine races this season. Smith will race in...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/The-Latest-IndyCar-race-in-Toronto-scrapped-over-16176857.php