Shortly after news broke that New England Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore has tested positive for Covid-19, the team’s quarterback, Cam Newton, took to social media to share some simple but important advice on how to deal with the highly contagious virus: “Wear your mask. Keep your distance.”
Newton certainly knows what he is talking about. Despite the NFL’s strict Coronavirus rules, he became the first Patriots player to test positive on late Friday night. While he — just like Gilmore — reportedly remains asymptomatic as of right now, he still has to isolate while carrying the virus in him.
Per the league’s protocols, any player or staff member who gets placed on the Reserve/Covid-19 list for either testing positive or for coming in close contact with an infected person will have to remain on the list for at least five days and possibly more depending on whether or not he or she has developed symptoms.