Roughnecks move rookie Carter McKenzie to COVID protocol list
(Photo: Calgary Roughnecks)
Carter McKenzie was upgraded from the Calgary Roughnecks’ practice pool to their active roster when Mitch Wilde was placed in COVID protocol on December 17th. In recent days, however, the Rigger rookie has himself ended up on the same league protocol list.
On December 27th, Calgary officially moved McKenzie into protocol, the same day the National Lacrosse League announced the postponement of Week 5 action, which included a Roughnecks home date against the Halifax Thunderbirds.
McKenzie, who was drafted 38th overall (Burlington Chiefs, OJLL) by Calgary in this past September’s NLL Draft, had made just that one appearance this year in place of Wilde. He is the seventh player so far this season to be placed into league protocol.
It’s been nearly three weeks since the NLL’s first player, Jeff Teat, was placed in protocol. There have been no corresponding roster moves putting any of the league’s previously confirmed protocol players back onto team active rosters. Rochester’s Cory Highfield (Dec. 12), Philadelphia’s Corey Small & Alex Crepinsek (Dec. 17) and Toronto’s Tom Schreiber (Dec. 18) are the other players presently still in protocol. San Diego General Manger & Head Coach, Pat Merrill, is the league’s lone coach in COVID-19 protocol.
Earlier this year, the NLL published a COVID-19 policy & protocol document with the hope of helping protect the various individuals involved in the league against the contraction and spread of COVID-19. Click here to see the document.
Within the “Management of Symptomatic (and/or COVID-19-Positive) Persons” section of the document, and under the “Ending of Isolation” subsection, the league document states:
Players or Club personnel whose test has been confirmed positive shall remain in isolation until all of the following conditions have been satisfied:
If at least 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared, and at least 24 hours have passed since last fever without the use of fever-reducing medications, and symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of breath) have improved (with the exception of continued loss of taste or smell so long as other symptoms have improved).
In addition, the Club Physician and any other treating physician providing care to the individual, must conclude that the individual no longer presents a risk of infection to others, and that it is medically appropriate (given individual and local circumstances) to terminate the requirement for isolation.
The termination of the isolation requirement is consistent with applicable local public health regulations or other requirements.