TAMPA, Fla. — In an Instagram post, Tampa Bay Buccaneers player Cameron Brate said he has fully recovered from COVID-19.
It isn't clear when Brate had coronavirus, but his announcement says he has since recovered and is planning on donating plasma.
"Thankful to have fully recovered from COVID-19," the tight end wrote on Instagram. "Donating plasma is the next step and something many can do! Go to OneBlood.org to learn how. Stay safe and #GOBUCS!"
“The coronavirus pandemic has had a devastating effect on our population and it continues to impact nearly every aspect of our lives,” Brate said. “But there’s an important way you may be able to help friends, family and our community as we battle this disease by donating plasma. If you were diagnosed with COVID-19 or tested positive with antibodies and fully recovered and are symptom-free for at least two weeks, please consider visiting a local donor center. Simply go to Oneblood.org to find a convenient location, book an appointment or learn more. We’re all in this together and your donation can make a difference in someone’s life.”
Brate has worked out several times with new Bucs quarterback Tom Brady during workouts over the summer.
Brate's announcement comes the same week the Bucs' first player was put on the new reserve/COVID-19 reserve list.
Ke'Shawn Vaughn, a rookie running back, will start the 2020 season on that list, the team announced Monday.
The new reserve list category was created for players who either test positive for COVID-19 or who are quarantining after coming in close contact with an infected person or persons. If a player falls into either of these categories, his team is required to immediately place the player on the reserve/COVID-19 list.
It's unknown which category Vaughn falls into. An agreement between the league and the NFL Players Association prohibits teams from commenting on a player's medical status other than referring to roster status.
Like all NFL teams, the Bucs have some strict coronavirus protocols in place at its training facility. To start, each player must pass two COVID-19 tests, 72 hours apart, just to get inside the AdventHealth Training Center. Once inside there are a number of precautions in place, including one-way hallways, restricted areas and a mask requirement while indoors.
The Bucs will begin training camp with an acclimatization period from August 3-11, followed by a "ramp-up period" from August 12-16, before 14 padded practices that must be spread out between August 17 and September 6. There were also additional changes to the number of players on the inflated training camp roster, as well as practice squad changes for the season.
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