MLB News: How The Vaccinated Yankees Are Playing While Beating New COVID-19 Cases

When United States sports leagues reopened after simultaneous suspensions in March 2020, one of the most difficult hurdles was how to continue play amidst the coronavirus situation.

The NBA had a first-hand glimpse of just how challenging a non-bubble set-up would be as players tested positive just a week into the league’s 2020-21 season.

The Washington Wizards were among those adversely affected by the situation. At one point, they were not even able to practice due to the lack of players as most were quarantined or were observing precaution.

But with the administration ramping up its vaccine roll-out, the country’s sports industry is benefitting and slowly achieving normalcy.

The New York Yankees are a testament to that, beating COVID-19 by having 85% of its team members and officials all fully vaccinated as of April, as per a report by The Athletic’s Lindsey Adler.

Even after “breakthrough” cases—meaning testing positive in spite of already being vaccinated, the Yankees managed to continue play.

Such cases are extremely rare in a million but normal, granted that vaccines are not 100% effective at this point.

The Yankees just beat the Tampa Bay Rays twice now on Tuesday (3-1) and Wednesday (1-0) in Florida, as part of a three-game series against the World Series runners-up.

This is in spite of having seven cases as of Wednesday.

The report noted that the MLB relaxes its protocols for teams’ traveling parties who have reached at least an 85% vaccination rate.

Since the country started delivering vaccines, over 200 million doses have been administered, and 35.1% of the total US population is now fully vaccinated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

An average of 2.2 million doses are being administered daily, and the Biden administration is targeting at least 85% of the population being vaccinated by August 31.

Things are looking pretty well for the 20-16 Yankees too, who are seeking to improve their 33-27 finish from last season.

Through their action, the Yankees are setting an example to other MLB clubs and to the rest of the sporting world that receiving vaccination remains the most ideal and worry-free situation in the new normal.