MLB's involvement has accelerated the collection of data desperately needed by public health officialsGETTY IMAGES
MLB has "distributed 10,000 blood tests to its players, officials and employees for participation in what researchers are calling the first large-scale national antibody study" for the COVID-19 virus, according to Bill Shaikin of the L.A. TIMES. The league's involvement in the program has "accelerated the collection of data desperately needed by public health officials." No one, whether a player or otherwise, is "required to take the MLB blood test," and three of the 30 clubs "declined to participate." The test can be "taken at home, with a simple prick of a finger and directions from a video" (L.A. TIMES, 4/15). Stanford professor Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, who is leading the study, said, "This kind of study would have taken years to organize outside of this setting. With the help of MLB, we’ve managed to do this in a matter of weeks.” Bhattacharya said that he had "reached out to an array of corporations," and that MLB -- which already had a relationship with Sports Medicine Research and Testing Laboratory President Daniel Eichner -- was the "quickest to agree." Eichner said, "There’s nothing in it for the teams or MLB on this one. This is purely to drive public health policy.” In N.Y., James Wagner reports because many MLB employees and players "live in areas with shelter-in-place rules in effect, many kits have been mailed to participants" (N.Y. TIMES, 4/15).
IN THE DETAILS: Bhattacharya noted that the study "includes not only players, their families, and team staff, but also concessionaires, ushers and other part-time employees of all socioeconomic backgrounds, ages and genders." THE ATHLETIC's Molly Knight reported the study, "funded by private donors, has nothing to do with determining when to restart MLB games this season." The league "declined to identify the three teams that opted not to participate in the study." Bhattacharya "hopes to have the results of the 10,000 tests by the end of the week" (THEATHLETIC.com, 4/14). In DC, Michael Errigo reports MLB is "not funding the study." But researchers said that it was the "right candidate for a project of this magnitude because it could efficiently provide a wide range of volunteers" (WASHINGTON POST, 4/15).
