WWE Protocol for Protection Against Coronavirus Pandemic Revealed

Since mid-March, WWE has held every episode of Monday Night Raw and Friday Night SmackDown, along with both nights of WrestleMania 36, inside the empty WWE Performance Center in Orlando amidst the coronavirus pandemic. They'll start up that process again later this week, as the company is reportedly looking to tape three weeks worth of Raw and SmackDown (along with multiple NXT episodes) starting this Friday. As of now nobody has been officially diagnosed with coronavirus (though a number of wrestlers have been placed in quarantine as a precaution), and on Wednesday TMZ released a report outlining how the precautions the promotion has taken since the pandemic started.

"The email outlines protocol ... saying the medical team will take each individual's temperature before they enter the building — which is expected to cause some delays — so arrive early," the report read. "Once inside, everyone is encouraged to wear a face mask — and if you can't get one, make one!"

"WWE explains how to McGyver one together by sewing fabric, wearing a bandanna or ripping off an old t-shirt sleeve. The org. does note that masks should come off when cameras are rolling," the report continues.

Of the stars that missed WrestleMania as a precaution, Roman Reigns was by far and away the biggest name. "The Big Dog" explained why he stepped away in an Instagram video days before the event.

"You already know what's going on, it's all over the news, the dirt sheets, whatever you want to call em, that I pulled out of WrestleMania," Reigns said. And it's funny because for years now, years, people are like, 'Don't show up to WrestleMania! We don't want you in it!' Ya know what I mean? There's a nice handful of dudes and haters that didn't want me there. But the moment I make a choice for me and my family, I'm a 'coward.' I'm a 'sissy.' A lot of different things that I am now. But you don't know the whole story.

"All you know is what you think," he continued. "'Oh, well his health' and this and that, but you don't know what else is going on in my life. You don't know if I have newborns. You don't know if I have family in my household, older family. So yeah, like the old saying, man ... go and flip that cover open and read a few pages, get into a few chapters before you really start running your mouth. And just take this time to better yourself, be present and make the most out of this."