Sky cancel practice ahead of Wednesday's game due to multiple players' illness

Sky practice was abruptly canceled on Tuesday morning.

According to the team, multiple players felt sick, prompting the last-minute cancellation. Several players, per the advice of the team's medical staff, were wearing masks at Sachs Recreation Center on Tuesday.

"We're testing for COVID-19 and speaking with our doctors to hear what they would suggest progression-wise," Sky general manager Jeff Pagliocca told the Sun-Times.

This news comes hours before they are scheduled to play the Mystics at Wintrust Arena on Wednesday and the Fever on Friday. After Friday's game, the Sky have a two-game road trip scheduled against the Lynx on Sunday and the Aces on Tuesday.

According to Pagliocca, the team believes they will have enough healthy players to compete against the Mystics tomorrow. The Sky's injury report for Wednesday's game is due by 5 p.m.

In 2020, the WNBA postponed Game 1 of the semifinals between the Storm and Lynx after inconclusive COVID-19 results came back from the Storm. The league has not postponed a game due to COVID-19 since.

In March, the CDC updated it's longstanding recommendation that people who test positive for COVID-19 should isolate for at least five days. The CDC now states that people can return to regular activities if their symptoms are mild and improving and it's been at least a day since they've had a fever.

As of Aug. 16, the CDC estimated that COVID-19 infections were growing or likely to grow in 27 states. Illinois was one of the states with an epidemic status marked as growing by the CDC. The Biden administration recently announced that it will begin giving out free at-home COVID-19 tests by mail. At the end of September, households can order up to four rapid tests by visiting COVIDtests.gov.

Last week the Food and Drug Administration approved two updated COVID-19 vaccines to help battle the virus' latest strains. CVS and Walgreens are accepting appointments before the vaccines release with Walgreens saying the new vaccine will be available beginning Sept. 6.