There are now over 100 NFL players sidelined by COVID-19. One hockey team alone has had 30 cases. One NBA team has 10 players, more than half its roster, in “health and safety protocols.” In England, meanwhile, nine Premier League games have been postponed, and more could follow. Clubs are reportedly pushing for a temporary shutdown amid widespread outbreaks across the sports world unlike any it has seen before.
The Omicron variant has been detected in multiple leagues, and spawned what NFL chief medical officer Allen Sills called “a new phase of the pandemic.