Tampa Bay Lightning shut down facility due to COVID-19 outbreak

After an outbreak of COVID-19, the Tampa Bay Lightning have shut down their practice facility.

As the NHL moves into Phase 2 of a return to play, with team facilities open to voluntary skates for players, positive COVID-19 tests seem inevitable. After vague news a team had to temporarily close its training facility due to some positive tests, TSN’s Bob McKenzie reported the team was the Tampa Bay Lightning.

McKenzie added that three players and two staff members have tested positive for COVID-19. Remaining staff and players are being tested, with the direction things take from there dependent on results. So the facility could reopened quickly if there are no further positive tests, or the shut down could extend.

The team was skating at its home arena, Amalie Arena. According to Diane C. Nearhos of the Tampa Bay Times, the arena will be closed to non-essential staff until at least July 6.

The Lightning players and staff who tested positive have not been identified, and they surely won’t be. Three other NHL organizations are known to have players test positive, but the Lightning are the first to have it occur since Phase 2 started. The state of Florida has had a recent uptick in COVID-19 cases, so if a team was going to have an outbreak happen the Lightning were an easy candidate to tab.

Positive COVID-19 tests are unavoidable as leagues move forward with plans to return to play, or in the case of the NFL the idea of staying on schedule. The key is taking all preventative measures to limit exposure, aggressive testing and acting quickly if there is are positive tests as players, coaches and other team personnel come together. So credit to the Lightning for moving quickly to shut things down.

Pessimists will say any positive COVID-19 tests are a sign sports should just collectively shut down for 2020. But one set of positive tests is more of a reminder of the slippery slope the world is on in the midst of a pandemic, more than a reason the NHL in this particular case should halt their plan to return.