WWE Rumors: More Employees Reportedly Test Positive For COVID-19, Number Of Cases Confirmed
Pro Wrestling Sheet has reported that more WWE employees tested positive for COVID-19 prior to the latest round of television tapings.
The report doesn’t confirm any of the people who have tested positive, but the sources revealed that at least 30 people have contracted the coronavirus in the last three weeks. The company has reportedly administered at least 1500 tests since the end of June, which happens to coincide with the upswing in confirmed cases.
Prior to the recent testing measures being put in place, the company was checking employees by checking their temperatures. This method was the subject as much criticism, however, as the company didn’t perform comprehensive checks for the virus on its staff.
Some of the affected employees who were recently confirmed include Renee Young, Jamie Noble, Kayla Braxton, and other in-ring talents, backstage personnel and on-air personalities. The company has kept most of the names close to the vest as of this writing, but some of those affected have been vocal about their current circumstances on their social media accounts.
Since the cases were confirmed, the company has also instituted an official face mask policy at tapings. The new rules require those who are present at the Performance Center to wear one. Anyone who fails to adhere to the policy will also be fined $500 for the first violation and $1,000 for subsequent incidents.
Prior to the new rules being instated, however, there were reports of management banning face masks from the Performance Center. As documented by Ringside News, Kevin Dunn reportedly accused those who wear the masks during the tapings of being fake fans.
WWE’s decision to press ahead with television tapings has reportedly upset people in the company as well. While some performers have opted to return home for the foreseeable future, those who have chosen to remain have described the backstage environment as chaotic and messy. According to the reports, there is a lack of leadership behind the scenes and officials are struggling to cope with the crisis.
Vince McMahon supposedly wants WWE to put on arena shows again by the end of this month, but those plans will likely be put on hold as fans attending could be hazardous to the wellbeing of WWE employees and each other. The influx of positive COVID-19 cases within the company arrived after family members and friends of employers were permitted to attend Performance Center shows lately. Moving the shows elsewhere and allowing more people to enter isn’t regarded as a wise move at the moment.
