Helen Cordova has celebrated two COVID-19 vaccinations in her family this month.
Her mother got a booster on her 66th birthday, then headed to a boisterous family dinner at Chilis, something that wasnt possible last winter when both indoor and outdoor dining were banned.
A few days later, Cordovas newly eligible 5-year-old niece got her first dose after being promised a lollipop.
Those shots among more than 62 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine that have now been administered in California were so easy to get that they were practically mundane.
How things have changed since Cordova, a 33-year-old nurse practitioner from the San Fernando Valley, got her own Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.
A year ago this month, Cordova became the first person in California outside a clinical trial to get a COVID-19 vaccination, making history at a time when the virus was overwhelming hospitals and the first precious doses were limited to those most at risk: older people and front-line healthcare workers.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom looks on as Helen Cordova receives the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center in Los Angeles on Dec. 14, 2020.
(Associated Press)
I remember that hope I felt when I got the vaccine because it was probably the darkest period of the pandemic, said Cordova, who treated COVID patients in the intensive care unit at Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center at the time.
The day the first shots in the United States were administered Dec. 14, 2020 marked a hopeful new chapter in the pandemic.
Ballparks and fairgrounds were quickly converted to mass vaccination clinics. Infections and deaths plummeted for months as the highly effective inoculations became widely available. Business restrictions and mask mandates lifted. Schools reopened.
But the vaccine anniversary is bittersweet.
This month, the U.S. death toll from the coronavirus topped 800,000. Cases and hospitalizations are rising again because of the Delta and Omicron variants. Vaccinations, hampered by political divisiveness and rampant misinformation, have stalled.
Over the last year, there have been some tremendous successes, not the least of which is the fact that these vaccines are universally available in the U.S., said UCLA epidemiologist Dr. Timothy Brewer. We went from identifying a new pathogen to a vaccine in under a year. That would have been unheard of even five years ago.
But one of the big tragedies of the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S., he said, is the politicization of masks and vaccines that hastened too much preventable sickness and death.
In California, 67% of the population is fully vaccinated. Millions of people who are eligible for the shot have not received a single dose and they are, increasingly, hardliners who say they never will.
But it is important to acknowledge how far things have come, Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said in an interview. In L.A. County alone, more than 16 million doses have been administered, according to The Times vaccine tracker. Thats a number Ferrer called staggering and the result of a herculean effort.
We had so much scarcity at the beginning; people were waiting months for their doses, she said. Now, you come to a site, you dont have to wait to get vaccinated.
I feel like we were very hopeful last December, and were very hopeful this December. We know these vaccines are super powerful, even with the threat of Omicron ... [and] we owe a lot of credit to the bravery of those initial people.
Cordova got the vaccine in front of news cameras, with Gov. Gavin Newsom standing beside her in a surgical mask.
At first, she didnt even want the shot, fearing it was developed too quickly.
I was like, that is too fast. I dont trust it. How are we going to know what its going to do? Others can go ahead, and Ill watch, Cordova recalled.
She changed her mind after talking with colleagues and reading data from the vaccines clinical trials. And after she considered the hell she had witnessed in the COVID intensive care unit.
In March 2020, Cordova was working at Kaiser while juggling her final semester at UCLA, where she was studying to become a nurse practitioner.
At the start of each shift, she and her colleagues would gather in a conference room and get their patient assignments. One day, she and a few other nurses were held back as others left. They were told they would be working in the new COVID unit.
I just remember feeling a bit of shock, then just nerves, and uneasiness because we didnt know anything about the virus. Zero, she said.
On the walls of Helen Cordovas room are framed newspaper stories from the day she became the first person in California outside a clinical trial to receive the COVID-19 vaccine in December 2020.
(Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times)
Cordova texted her mother and her two older brothers. Pray for me, she asked, before being led to the unit, which was locked and had security guards.
Shell never forget her first patient: a middle-aged Latina with a cough, who was terrified as Cordova walked up to her wearing head-to-toe protective gear.
The woman relaxed when Cordova started speaking to her in Spanish. The patient had been tested for the coronavirus, but thats when test kits were new, slow and scarce. She spent several days in the unit with another patient on a ventilator in the next room before learning she was negative.
It took a toll on Cordova, the daughter of Salvadoran immigrants, seeing the COVID unit filled with Latinos, who have been infected and have died from the virus at disproportionately high rates.
It was heartbreaking because theres so much distrust with the healthcare system, she said. Sometimes, in a pod of eight patient beds, seven were Latino.
Cordova said she was one of just three certified Spanish-language translators on staff in the ICU. She would be called in constantly to tell a dying patient they should call their family before being intubated. She held many an iPad for the final I love you and Im praying for you.
I probably have some unprocessed PTSD from this, she said. Its hard to talk about.
In getting the COVID-19 vaccine, Cordova wanted to set an example for those patients. And for her family.
Cordova lives with her mother, Betty, in the Winnetka house where she grew up. She was terrified of infecting her.
For months, Cordova showered before leaving the hospital, then again at home. She had two rotating pairs of work shoes that she left outside, drenching them in bleach after every shift. She stayed far from her mother.
Any time her mom had a sniffle, she panicked. And felt guilty.
I signed up to be a nurse, she said. That was my choice. I didnt sign her up to be exposed to this. I saw so many people in the hospital, and many who were otherwise healthy, struggling to breathe, and the deck of cards was stacked against my mom should she get it.
In 2001, Betty had extremely high blood pressure, and doctors discovered a thoracic aortic aneurysm. She was told to carry her chest X-rays wherever she went in the weeks before she could have surgery, in case it ruptured and emergency workers needed to know what happened.
Cordova was a 13-year-old middle-schooler at the time. If Betty was a little late picking her up, Cordova worried she had died.
Betty had surgery, a stroke in the hospital, and more surgery after a second aneurysm was found years later. It was because of her moms health issues that Cordova became a nurse.
On Dec. 13, 2020, Cordova was finishing a shift when her manager called and asked how she felt about the vaccine. She said she had finally decided: She was going to get it.
Helen Cordova with her mom, Betty Cordova, at home on Dec. 14 in the San Fernando Valley.
(Dania Maxwell/Los Angeles Times)
OK, so what are you doing tomorrow? she recalled him asking.
He told her the hospital had gotten some of the first doses and that she could get one because she had helped open the COVID ward. There might be some Kaiser internal media there, he said, but nothing too big.
She said yes. But her nerves had set in by the time she got home and told her mom.
At first, I was very nervous, very scared, Betty Cordova said. She worried what would happen to her daughters body. But at the same time, she said, she was filled with hope and relief, knowing there was finally something to combat the virus.
Cordova texted her brothers and said she was getting the vaccine the next day. Pray for me, she asked once again.
She stayed up all night texting friends, asking if she made the right choice.
Cordova woke up early and read the Pfizer studies again. Before she left, Betty told her she had decided that she, too, would get the vaccine when her time came.
When she got to work, someone told her that her vaccination would be a bit bigger event than they realized. L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti would be there. And Newsom. And every news outlet in the region.
Oh, they added, and she would be the first person in California to get the shot.
Protect me, she said with a laugh, just before a colleague stuck the needle in her arm as people cheered and cameras rolled.
Her phone blew up with ecstatic messages from friends and family who saw her on the news. But she also got hundreds of messages and friend-requests on social media from strangers and vaccine opponents.
She let herself peek at the comments on one TV news stations Facebook post about her vaccine Helen Cordova, you are going to die. Helen Cordova, you will never have children. and never looked again.
Cordova now works as a nurse practitioner in Tarzana, a job she started a few hours after her first shot. She cheers when she asks patients if theyre vaccinated and they proudly add, Yes, and Im boosted!
Im like, Yes, you are! Yes, you are!
Her mom now tells anyone she can at church, at the doctors office, at the store that her daughter is the nurse who got the first vaccine.
Boise State Athletics announced Monday that it shut down all football team activities due to Covid-19 protocols. As a result, the Broncos will not compete against the Central Michigan Chippewas in the Arizona Bowl scheduled for Friday in Tucson, and the game has since been canceled, game organizers announced Monday.
Boise State's decision was made in consultation with its medical staff, in addition to campus and public health officials.
"We feel for the young men in our program who were very much looking forward to closing out their season, and for some, their football careers," Boise State Director of Athletics Jeramiah Dickey said in a statement. "I would personally like to thank Kym Adair and her team at the Arizona Bowl for putting together at first-class student-athlete and fan experience that we are extremely disappointed to miss."
The Sun Bowl will be played at noon ET Friday in El Paso, Texas.
Miami's deputy director of athletics, Jennifer Strawley said they were "extremely disappointed" not to participate in the Sun Bowl.
"But due to the number of Covid-19 cases impacting our roster we do not have enough student-athletes to safely compete, and the health and safety of our student-athletes will always be our top priority," Strawley said.
Three other bowl games were canceled
Monday's Military Bowl in Annapolis, Maryland, between Boston College and East Carolina University was canceled because Boston College did not have enough players available due to a rise in Covid-19 cases, Director of Athletics Pat Kraft said.
"Unfortunately, due to cases of Covid-19 rising within our program since our arrival, along with season-ending injuries, opt-outs and transfers, we just do not have enough players to field a team," Kraft said. "We are disappointed not to be able to finish the season together as a team, but the health and safety of our program is our highest priority."
Having to cancel is a "terrible situation," the bowl's president and executive director, Steve Beck, said in a statement.
"We appreciate everyone who worked so hard to try to make the game happen. Of course, the health and safety of the players and coaches is top priority," he said. "The decision not to play is understandable, but disappointing."
The Military Bowl Parade and the Military Bowl Tailgate Festival, also scheduled for Monday, were canceled.
The inaugural Fenway Bowl in Boston between the University of Virginia and Southern Methodist University -- scheduled for Wednesday -- was also canceled.
The University of Virginia's number of Covid-19 cases also prevented it from safely participating in the Fenway Bowl, the school said.
The team was "extremely disappointed," Virginia Athletics Director Carla Williams said.
"We appreciate all of the hard work by our team and coaching staff. They earned this bowl invitation, and it is unfortunate they will not be able to compete in the game to complete the season," she said. "We regret how this also impacts our fans who were planning on attending the game as well as the SMU program and its fans."
All activities associated with the Fenway Bowl will no longer take place, Fenway Sports Management said.
"Though we all are disappointed that the Wasabi Fenway Bowl will not be played this year, we are grateful to our community partners, sponsors, volunteers, and stakeholders for their hard work to introduce college bowl season to Fenway Park," Fenway Sports Management said in a statement. "We'd like to extend that appreciation to both schools and fanbases for their enthusiastic support. We look forward to seeing everyone at the 2022 Wasabi Fenway Bowl."
The Hawaii Bowl scheduled for Christmas Eve was canceled, as the University of Hawaii withdrew because of Covid-19 issues. Hawaii was scheduled to face the University of Memphis.
Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly said the Sun Bowl was canceled. Washington State and bowl officials were working to find a team to replace the Miami Hurricanes in the game.
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) Local doctors are urging people to get tested for COVID-19 as they return to work after the holidays.
22News spoke with people in Springfield about getting tested for COVID-19, some said they werent required to, but they wanted to get tested before heading into the office. Melissa Hickey of Windsor Locks enjoyed celebrating the holidays with family and like many other people, she plans to see family again for New Years Eve. Until then, she is working and she said she made sure she got tested for COVID-19.
We didnt have to but chose to as a family just to be safe. All of us have really been hunkering down and making sure that we are not with a lot of other people, Hickey said.
Here in Massachusetts, COVID-19 case totals are hitting an all time record and days after Christmas, doctors at Baystate Health are urging people who are heading into the office to get tested to stop the spread of COVID-19 in the work place.
If you are going to be working in a setting here, you are working indoors with a lot of people, I think its prudent to do that. If you have symptoms, you need to be tested, said Armando Paez, Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases at Baystate Health.
The CDC recommends that fully vaccinated people test five to seven days after a possible exposure. Non-vaccinated people should test immediately after a possible exposure, then test again five to seven days later.
A reminder if youre relying on a rapid test, many manufacturers ask you get tested twice within a 24 hour period for the most accurate results. Your best bet is a PCR test, but turnaround times for results could be up to a day or more.
Baystate Health officials are also are urging people to avoid the emergency rooms for a COVID-19 test and instead go to a community site.
The Denver Broncos placed three players on the reserve/COVID-19 list on Monday. Linebacker Andre Mintze, defensive linemen Mike Purcell and Jonathan Harris were all placed on the list. As weve seen in recent weeks, this is usually how it starts and well need to hold our breath for additional positive tests throughout the week.
Aside from that bit of news, head coach Vic Fangio was also hit with questions about his future on Monday. He obviously said he wasnt worried about his future, but he understood the importance of a strong finish.
I dont, and I know you think thats a standard answer, but for a lot of reasons I do not worry about it. Those reasons are personal for me, but do I acknowledge that its certainly out there and could happenabsolutely. Do I worry about it? I absolutely do not worry about it for many, many reasons.
He went on to say that he felt he and his staff deserve another shot at things in 2022. Whether that means his entire staff or him and his defensive staff is left up for interpretation. When asked about the offensive struggles, he did kind of call out offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur to prove it these final two games.
Pat [Shurmur] and Iand the offensive staff for that matter talk a lot, Fangio said. We have meetings regularly so yes, we do talk a lot about what wed like the offense to look like, where we think we can improve on a week-to-week basis, taking a look at what weve done in the past few week, what we can change up, [and], etc. Pat [Shurmur] has a long history of being successful in this league, and Im counting on that happening here these final two weeks.
His recent history is any indication of future performance, Shumur wont be up to task. Drew Lock and his league leading turnovers in 2020 was a scapegoat. Under Teddy Bridgewater, turnovers are way down, and yet the red zone offense languishes. The Broncos are averaging 19 points per game in 2021. They averages 20 last season.
It wasnt the turnovers, Pat. It was you.
Broncos feel close to success, focused on ending season strong"These last three losses theyre all losses, it doesnt really matter what the score is but theyve all been close games and have come down to the wire," Vic Fangio said. "We just need to find a way to get those turned in our favor.
Vic Fangio says he 'absolutely' deserves another year as Denver Broncos' coachBroncos coach Vic Fangio said Monday he "absolutely" deserves to return as the team's coach in 2022, the final season of his contract.
Teddy Bridgewater remains in concussion protocol as Broncos begin preparation for Week 17Teddy Bridgewater remains in concussion protocol after getting hurt in Week 15 against Cincinnati, so as of Monday, Drew Locks in line for his second start of the season.
Drew Lock: "I'd like to think I can sign off on almost all of (my passes)""I feel I did alright," Lock said. "Obviously there's going to be some things I want to fix and make better, but there's going to be a lot of good things on tape and a lot things I can hang my hat on and say that I was proud of this throw or that."
Talk of Vic Fangios job status with Broncos obscuring another major issueFangio's future with the Broncos is uncertain but is only one on a long list of issues GM George Paton will need to sort out.
2022 NFL Draft order: Broncos, Browns inch closer to top 10The Browns are still alive in the race for the AFC North title, but they're also a step closer to holding a top-10 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft after suffering a second straight loss. Dan Parr and Chase Goodbread provide a look at the updated first-round or
NFL head coaching carousel: What jobs will become open and who could fill them?From jobs already open, to ones where the seat is red hot.
3 winners and 5 losers from Week 16 in the NFLThe Colts are looking really scary.
Stefon Diggs told Patriots fans how the world really feels about themStefon Diggs had a relatable message for Patriots fans.
For the past three weeks, NFL teams have been hit hard with COVID-19 cases because ofthe rise of the Omicron variant throughout the world.
More than 100players have alreadylandedon the COVID/reserve list ahead of Week 17 games, and there were 96 positive testsalone on Monday, a new high for a single day.
At the start of Week 16,more than 200 players were on the COVID/reserve list. At the beginning of Week 17, various players are being activated, but dozens more are being put into the league's protocols. One of the bigger names to go on the list in Week 17 is Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans. The Bucs were already dealing with a significant loss to their offensive unit, asrunning back Leonard Fournette is on the list, too.
Sporting News has the list of all of the players who have entered COVID-19 protocols ahead of Week 17 games.
NFL POWER RANKINGS: Cowboys, Billsrise; Patriots, Steelers fall
(Based onofficial team rosters as of Dec. 27)
MORE:New NFL COVID protocols, explained
Here is the COVID protocol for vaccinated players, according to the NFL:
The main difference between vaccinated and unvaccinated players is that vaccinated players don't have to worry about being a "high-risk" close contact at any point. They also have more freedom to participate in activities than their unvaccinated counterparts. Vaccinated players can go out on the road and more easily spend time with teammates outside the facility, among other perks.
The NFL's COVID protocols are stricter than those for vaccinated players. They are as follows, per the NFL:
Unvaccinated players also have more procedures they must follow to avoid falling into COVID protocol. They include the following:
The NFL considers a player fully vaccinated if they fall into one of the two following categories: They either are 14 days removed from their final dose of Pfizer, Moderna or the Johnson & Johnson vaccine or they previously contracted COVID and are 14 days removed from a single dose of any vaccine.
MORE:NFL players sound off on postponements amid COVID outbreak
The NFL has left the door open for potential postponements. That said, the league has said that "postponements will only occur if required by government authorities, medical experts, or at the commissioner's discretion."
Of course, the NFL has also said that it's hoping to play its full, 272-game schedule "in a safe and responsible way," so it seems likely that the league will consider postponements where appropriate.
However, the NFL has noted that the burden of postponements or cancellations will fall upon teams featuring COVID spikes among unvaccinated players. If outbreaks occur among vaccinated players, the league will seek to "minimize the burden" of that club.
If a game is canceled/postponed because a club cannot play due to a COVIDspike among or resulting from its non-vaccinated players/staff, then the burden of the cancellation or delay will fall on the club experiencing the COVIDinfection. We will seek to minimize the burden on the opposing club or clubs. If a club cannot play due to a COVIDspike in vaccinated individuals, we will attempt to minimize the competitive and economic burden on both participating teams.
What does that mean? If a team has an outbreak that impacts unvaccinated players, they're less likely to get a favorable ruling from the NFL. So, they may be forced to play significantly shorthanded or at a less convenient time.
The NFL also has stated that if a game cannot be rescheduled within its 18-week season due to a COVID outbreak amid non-vaccinated players, the team with the outbreak will be forced to forfeit.
Additionally, the league said that "games will not be postponed or rescheduled simply to avoid roster issues caused by injury or illness affecting multiple players, even within a position group." The Broncos were the best example of that principlein action. They had to play with practice squad receiver Kendall Hinton as their quarterback after their QB room was exposed to the virus.
No, it's not planning to add an extra week to the schedule. The NFL confirmed that they are hoping not to extend the regular season past 18 weeks (17 games and one bye).
"We do not anticipate adding a '19th week'to accommodate games that cannot be rescheduled within the current 18 weeks of the regular season."
Perhaps the NFL will change its tune if COVID becomes a bigger issue than the league anticipates, but for now, don't expect the league to add another week to the season.
Jake Aferiat contributed to this article.
Weather closed several testing and vaccine sites across western Washington.
SEATTLE Winter weather forced many COVID-19 testing sites to close and cancel hundreds of appointments in western Washington.
On Monday, people were turned away from the UW Medicine testing site on Aurora Avenue. Dozens of people stood in line outside and cars lined the road of the testing site, which was scheduled to open at 9 a.m., but was closed due to weather, according to UW Medicine's website.
The website said eight other testing sites were also closed because of weather. The sites will also be closed Tuesday, December 28. UW Medicine said the Angle Lake and Renton sites will be open, but have reduced hours. The Auburn site will be open by appointment only.
Other closures include the drive-through COVID testing site at the Thurston County Fairgrounds, the Capital Mall vaccination clinic, as well as the Snohomish Health District's drive-through site.
Many people were scrambling to find an open appointment after their scheduled time was canceled on Monday. Some people were needing a test in order to travel, some needed a test to see family and others were experiencing COVID-19 symptoms.
Testing right now is critical. Dr. Patrick Mathias, vice chair of clinical operations at UW Medicine, said samples in Seattle collected Christmas Eve had a 13% positivity rate, which is a record high for the pandemic.
The Polyclinic Madison Center COVID-19 testing site opened Monday for people with an appointment.
"I'm really grateful that they're out here and working," said Angela Zang, who had an appointment at the clinic.
The Indianapolis Colts are one of the hotter teams in the NFL coming into the final two weeks of the 2021 regular season. Theyve won six of seven and coming out of their bye have wins over the contending Patriots and Cardinals. They likely wont win the AFC South, but they should clinch a playoff spot.
Their biggest concern at the moment is COVID-19. On Monday following Week 16, the team added five players to the reserve/COVID-19 list. They have 12 players on the list, but have also implemented plans to protect quarterback Carson Wentz, who is unvaccinated. Here is their current list of players on the reserve/COVID-19 list. Well update as the final two weeks progress.
RB Marlon Mack (Placed Mon, Dec 27)WR Zach Pascal (Placed Sat, Dec 25)OL Quenton Nelson (Placed Fri, Dec 24)OL Mark Glowinski (Placed Thu, Dec 23)OL Braden Smith (Placed Mon, Dec 27)DE Kemoko Turay (Placed Wed, Dec 22)LB Malik Jefferson (Placed Mon, Dec 27)LB Darius Leonard (Placed Sat, Dec 25)CB T.J. Carrie (Placed Mon, Dec 27)CB Rock Ya-Sin (Placed Wed, Dec 22)S Jahleel Addae (Placed Mon, Dec 27)S Khari Willis (Placed Sat, Dec 25)
If unvaccinated, a player must miss five days if a close contact and ten days if due to a positive test. If vaccinated, a player does not have to miss a game as a close contact. If he tests positive, he can return if he is asymptomatic for at least 24 hours by one of the following options:
The previously policy required two negative tests at least 24 hours apart, but that has been cut down considerably with these new protocols.
CHICAGO Chicago Public Schools officials are asking students to get tested for COVID-19 on Tuesday to ensure results will be back in time for classes to resume on January 3.
The Chicago Teachers Union has said the city is failing to distribute at-home tests to the students who need them the most.
Just before winter break, schools such as Park Manor Elementary in the Grand Crossing neighborhood were virtually empty due to widespread COVID-19 cases.
Hundreds of CPS students and staff members were in quarantine due to close contact with someone who tested positive.
The school district said it has provided 150,000 home testing kits to parents to test their children and send the results back on a laptop. The district concentrated sending the tests to the areas hardest hit by the virus, though signing up for a test is possible at the CPS website.
CTU officials said most students at Park Manor were in quarantine and unable to receive the testing kits, with parents having issues accessing testing kits as well. Union members plan to walk parents through the process later Tuesday at the school.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- To Indianapolis Colts coach Frank Reich, it was just a matter of time before his team would be adding a few players to the NFL's COVID-19 list.
The Colts placed safety Jahleel Addae, cornerback T.J. Carrie, linebacker Malik Jefferson, running back Marlon Mack and tackle Braden Smith on the list Monday. Smith has been a key member of the offensive line that has helped Jonathan Taylor lead the league in rushing. Cornerback Chris Wilcox went on the practice squad COVID-19 list.
Its interesting that since we had more unvaxxed players than the average around the league that we were one of the last teams to (test) positive, Reich said. You kind of feel like its going to catch up with you at some point just because the virus is so rampant. But this is what you prepare for, hitting adversity you dont expect, although this is something we probably could have expected to hit us at some point.
As for changes in operations this week, Reich said: There are going to be some elements that are virtual this week. It could be all meetings are virtual and guys just come in for practice.
The NFL mandated that all media covering playoff teams and games, and the Super Bowl, must have received a COVID-19 booster by Jan. 12. Exceptions are for:
An individual who is not eligible for a booster pursuant to the CDC definition;
An individual who has tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 90 days;
An individual who received monoclonal antibodies within the immediately preceding 90 days.
Also:
The Carolina Panthers sent all of their players home from Bank of America Stadium after six more players tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday.
That brings the total number of Carolina players on the COVID-19 list to 13.
Defensive end Brian Burns, linebacker Shaq Thompson, defensive end Marquis Haynes, defensive tackle Phil Hoskins, center Matt Paradis and defensive tackle Daviyon Nixon all tested positive on Monday. Paradis and Nixon were already on injured reserve.
Panthers coach Matt Rhule said the decision to send players home was made to stem the tide and get things under control. The team will conduct its meetings virtually until then, and Rhule is hoping to have players back in the building for practice on Wednesday.
The Panthers lost 32-6 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday and have been eliminated from playoff contention. They visit the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.
The Jacksonville Jaguars placed 10 players on the COVID-19 list Monday, including five defensive linemen and two starting offensive linemen.
Because left guard Andrew Norwell is unvaccinated, he will be out at least 10 days under NFL protocols and will miss Sundays game at New England. The other nine players are vaccinated and have a chance to play against the Patriots.
The Jaguars already ruled out pass rusher Josh Allen, who also is unvaccinated and wont be cleared in time to play. He tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday along with receiver Laviska Shenault and right guard Ben Bartch.
The Tennessee Titans got left guard Rodger Saffold and rookie defensive back Elijah Molden back from the COVID-19 list. They still have two other offensive linemen still on the list, and they also put four players including three starters on the list, including outside linebacker Bud Dupree, wide receiver Julio Jones, defensive back Buster Skrine and receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine. They also put cornerback Caleb Farley, whos on injured reserve, on the list.
Tennessee can clinch the AFC South for a second straight year with one victory or an Indianapolis loss. The Titans host Miami on Sunday.
The Cleveland Browns, who have been hit as hard as any team by COVID-19 the past few weeks, activated eight players, including defensive end Jadeveon Clowney and running back Kareem Hunt.
Clowney has missed the past two games -- both losses -- and his return will help a pass rush that hasnt been the same without him. Starting left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. is also back. Hes been replaced the last two games by left guard Joel Bitoni, who can slide back to his usual spot.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, hard hit by injuries on offense, put star wideout Mike Evans on the COVID-19 list, but activated wide receiver Breshad Perriman from it. Evans missed Sundays game with an injury. Wide receivers coach Kevin Garver also went on the list.
The Green Bay Packers placed G Ben Braden, LB Tipa Galeai, WR Amari Rodgers and LB Ty Summers on the list, and placed defensive lineman RJ McIntosh on the practice squad COVID-19 list.
The Houston Texans added RB David Johnson, LB Neville Hewitt and practice squad fullback Paul Quessenberry to the list.
The Cincinnati Bengals placed backup quarterback Brandon Allen and already-injured cornerback/kick returner Darius Phillips on the list. Phillips (shoulder), who was the Bengals primary kick returner, has been on injured reserve since Dec. 9.
Allen has been the No. 2 quarterback behind starter Joe Burrow. The team will likely have to add a quarterback to the roster.
Starting defensive tackle D.J. Reader missed last Sundays game after going on the COVID-19 list on Dec. 20, the same day that starting cornerback Chidobe Awuzie came off it.
Cincinnati hosts Kansas City on Sunday.
The San Francisco 49ers placed punter Mitch Wishnowsky on COVID-19 list.
The Las Vegas Raiders added CB Casey Hayward, LB Cory Littleton, LB Patrick Onwuasor, LB Denzel Perryman, DT Darius Philon and LB K.J. Wright to the list.
The Seahawks added defensive end L.J. Collier to the list. Collier played 25 snaps in Sundays loss to the Bears. Seattle has six players from the 53-man roster on the virus list.
Minnesota placed guard Olisaemeka Udoh on the list.
Denver added starting defensive lineman Mike Purcell and outside linebacker Andre Mintze to the list.
More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL and https://twitter.com/APNFL
The Las Vegas Raiders are on the outside looking in at the AFC playoff picture, but they still have a chance. They head into Week 17 with an 8-7 record and are in tenth place. The 8-7 Dolphins hold the final wild card berth, and the Raiders are currently tied with them, the Ravens, and the Chargers.
The Raiders have dealt with a host of issues, including the firing of head coach Jon Gruden. Special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia is serving as interim head coach and the team has begun the process of finding their permanent next head coach. If Bisaccia can somehow guide this team to the playoffs, that might be enough to secure him the permanent title.
However, it wont be easy. Along with injuries and other issues, COVID-19 remains a hurdle for every NFL team. The Raiders placed eight players on the reserve/COVID-19 list on Monday to open Week 17. The team returns to practice on Wednesday, and well update this list as the team progresses through the final two weeks of the regular season.
QB Marcus Mariota (Placed Mon, Dec 27)WR Bryan Edwards (Placed Mon, Dec 27)OL Jermaine Eluemunor (Placed Thu, Dec 23)DT Darius Philon (Placed Mon, Dec 27)LB K.J. Wright (Placed Mon, Dec 27)LB Denzel Perryman (Placed Mon, Dec 27)LB Patrick Onwuasor (Placed Mon, Dec 27)LB Cory Littleton (Placed Mon, Dec 27)CB Casey Hayward, Jr. (Placed Mon, Dec 27)CB Brandon Facyson (Placed Wed, Dec 22)S Roderic Teamer (Placed Thu, Dec 23)
If unvaccinated, a player must miss five days if a close contact and ten days if due to a positive test. If vaccinated, a player does not have to miss a game as a close contact. If he tests positive, he can return if he is asymptomatic for at least 24 hours by one of the following options:
The previously policy required two negative tests at least 24 hours apart, but that has been cut down considerably with these new protocols.
