WWE Resumes Amid COVID-19 Outbreak, Local Official Calls It 'Essential Business'
(Photo: Twitter)
Screenshot from: Austin Theory Official Twitter Account

Across the United States, there are already 614,246 cases of COVID-19 infections. Still, the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) will continue to tape live shows as Florida government includes it in the "essential business" list on Monday, according to a recently published article.

It may seem peculiar how a contact sports business remains operational amid the coronavirus outbreak when state officials desperately shut down parts of society to keep people away from one another.

READ: COVID-19 Disrupts Worldwide Sports Industry, Billions of Dollars Lost

It can be recalled that Florida's Governor Ron DeSantis issued an executive order that went into effect on April 3, directing people to stay at home to slow the spread of COVID-19. While WWE was not initially deemed as essential as grocery stores and pharmacies, it has since been given the green light.

"I think initially there was a review that was done and they were not initially deemed an essential business," Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings said during a press briefing.

"With some conversation with the governor's office regarding the governor's order, they were deemed an essential business, and so, therefore, they were allowed to remain open."

ALSO READ: Dominick Cruz Confirms Replacing Jose Aldo at UFC 250

The decision, which was outlined in a memo from the director of Florida's Division of Emergency Management, allows the state to add a new category to its list of essential services: "employees at professional sports and media production with a national audience" if and only if "the location is closed to the general public."

Before the announcement of the Florida ECQ revisions, the WWE had recently acknowledged that an employee had tested positive for the virus, which was met with criticism.

WWE said the infected employee was not an "in-ring performer," and had not made contact with other staff and players of WWE since the employee's exposure to two people working in health care last month.

A spokesman for WWE assured the public that the company takes precautions to protect the health of its employees.

"All WWE performers and staff are required to participate in medical screenings before entering any closed set," the spokesman said. "Only essential personnel are on-site, and social distancing is practiced outside of performances. After each performance, the set goes through 'pandemic-level cleaning.' When widespread testing becomes available, all talent will be tested before performing. We have recommended our talent to self-isolate when not performing."

In recent weeks, WWE had been airing pre-taped shows, according to a statement issued by the company to ESPN.

"We believe it is now more important than ever to provide people with a diversion from these hard times," said WWE.

READ MORE: Dana White's Plans to Secure A Private Island For UFC Fights Is Only Days Away

"We are producing content on a closed set with only essential personnel in attendance following appropriate guidelines while taking additional precautions to ensure the health and wellness of our performers and staff."