Wednesday marks two weeks since the majority of the Yankees got their COVID-19 vaccinations, meaning they are cleared for more relaxed protocols per MLB’s vaccination policy, but the team as a whole hasn’t quite reached the required 85 percent threshold yet.
Aaron Boone told reporters that while most of the big-league group has cleared the two-week mark since getting vaccinated, other members at the alternate site and a couple others at the major league site who got their shots a few days after the rest of the team still needs to be cleared before the team’s travel restrictions can be lessened.
“I think we’re as close as you can be,” Boone said. “It factors in the other site as well. Here, we are I think over 90 percent. We’re just at about 84 still because there is some still pending, some people who have gotten a second shot, so we’re very close.”
Per a memo sent to teams by MLB last month, teams that have at least 85 percent of its Tier 1 personnel fully vaccinated will no longer have to wear masks in the dugout or bullpen, will have clubhouse amenities brought back like pool tables and steam rooms, and other relaxed protocols. The Yankees are almost at that point, and should be once the final personnel who had their shots later than the rest of the team reach the two-week mark.
“We don’t get that freedom,” Boone said. “We get some freedom, for those of us who are fully vaccinated, which is most of us, there are things we can do. Hotel gatherings, I think there’s indoor dining, things we’re allowed to do, but here we still gave the more strict protocols inside the clubhouse.”
As for the personnel that have already passed the two-week mark, they are able to enjoy individual changes to their protocols, including the ability to exercise without masks, will not have to inform anybody when leaving the team hotel, may choose to decrease testing for COVID-19 and will not have to quarantine if they were deemed close contact with someone diagnosed with the virus, as long as they aren’t showing any symptoms.
Those players will also be able to bring family members on road trips.
The majority of the Yankees received their vaccinations on April 7, before the team released a statement announcing the news.
“The New York Yankees would like to offer their sincere thanks to Dr. Philip Ozuah, President of Montefiore Medical Center, and the hard-working and dedicated group of medical staff from this Bronx-based hospital, who have been on-site at Yankee Stadium this evening to administer COVID vaccinations to New York Yankees players, coaches, field staff and support staff,” the statement read. “This process has been seamless and efficient, and we are grateful that by receiving the vaccine, we can contribute to stopping the spread of COVID-19.”
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