Posted in: Sports, TV, WWE | Tagged: coronavirus, florida, NXT, wrestling, wwe

WWE Targeted by Florida Strike Team as Possible COVID Hotspot

Published Wed, 21 Oct 2020 07:35:07 -0500

Unsurprising to anyone who has followed WWE's months-long bungling of the coronavirus pandemic, even in Florida, a state that has itself led the world in bungling of the pandemic, WWE facilities in the state are apparently being investigated as potential "hotspots," locations from which the virus may be spreading throughout the community. A news report from local ABC affiliate WFTV says that an Orange County Department of Health Strike Team is looking at several WWE facilities, including the Amway Center (site of WWE's Thunderdome), the WWE Performance Center (current home of NXT and training facility), and Full Sail University (former home of NXT), in attempt to find out how the virus is spreading.

The official logo of the WWE.

WWE has had several COVID outbreaks and waited months before they began administering actual coronavirus tests. The company has also tried to keep information about positive COVID tests quiet, reportedly instructing talent to let WWE's PR team handle any announcements. But in a statement issued to WFTV, a WWE representative said:

WWE is not open to the public but rather operating on a closed set with only essential personnel in attendance. As part of on-going weekly testing protocols, Aventus Labs have administered more than 10,000 PCR tests to WWE performers, employees, production staff, and crew, resulting in only 1.5 percent positive cases as compared to the current national average of more than 5%. Additionally, extensive contact tracing takes place, and impacted individuals are placed in 14-day quarantine and then only cleared after they test negative.

But this statement seems to contradict recent comments made directly by Triple H about NXT's new home at the newly-christened Capitol Wrestling Center inside the WWE Performance Center. "There will be a contingent of fans in attendance, some of which will be talent, others will be friends and family, and some will be fans," said Triple H. "We will take every safety precaution that there is. All of this was signed off by our medical staff. Everybody that walks in the building will be PCR tested, take a questionnaire, and be medically screened. There will be plexiglass pods with fans that are in groups, and the groups will vary in size. Everyone will wear masks, and each group will never be near anyone else."

Fans were spotted on television the day the Capitol Wrestling Center debuted removing their masks.

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