The Blue Jackets' facilities have been shut down due to multiple positive COVID-19 tests.
This comes from TSN hockey reporter Frank Seravalli, who was first to break the news on Tuesday morning. Columbus has had several players return to the city in recent weeks in anticipation of the 2020-21 season, which has still yet to be finalized. Small-group workouts had been going on at Nationwide Arena.
The team said in a statement that "its off-ice facilities" have been shut down since the week of Nov. 16, and those who tested positive have been in isolation.
Hearing a significant number of Columbus Blue Jackets players have tested positive for COVID-19 over the last 7-to-10 days.
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) November 24, 2020
The team has confirmed only that several players have tested positive. Team facilities have been closed since last week.
Statement from #CBJ: pic.twitter.com/m4nUkyaxYu
The news is concerning, particularly as Franklin County became Ohio's first "purple" county according to the Ohio Department of Health's COVID-19 spread warning system. The city of Columbus' health department issued a "stay home advisory" last week, just before the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advised Americans to abstain from Thanksgiving travel.
According to the Blue Jackets' statement, they hope to reopen the building next week. We'll have more information as this story develops.
