Bears briefly close Halas Hall on Thursday due to positive COVID-19 test

The Bears temporarily paused all in-person football activities and closed their Halas Hall training facility Thursday morning after a player tested positive for COVID-19.

The team later announced that players would return for a 2:30 p.m. practice Thursday. All team meetings were conducted virtually.

“The individual who tested positive has been contacted and has already begun self-isolation,” the Bears said in a statement Thursday morning. “We are working with the NFL medical experts to identify close contacts and follow the league’s guidance. The health and safety of our team, players and staff are the highest priority.”

Bears coach Matt Nagy learned of the positive test Thursday morning. Some players were already at the team's facility and were subsequently sent home. Nagy declined to say if the new positive test came from a member of the 53-man roster or the practice squad. He indicated the Bears will be placing the positive player on the reserve/COVID-19 list later Thursday.

This week, the Bears placed three practice squad players on the reserve/COVID-19 list: defensive tackle LaCale London, linebacker Manti Te’o and receiver Thomas Ives. Going on the reserve/COVID-19 list doesn’t necessarily mean a player has the coronavirus, it could mean they were a close contact of someone else who tested positive.

Nagy doesn't believe the new case is related to those three practice squad players.

"We realize that we’ve had a few positive cases last week," Nagy said. "So we just felt like, right now, this is our decision to just say, 'You know what? Let’s just hit the pause button.'"

Any players determined to be high-risk close contacts of the positive player would also go on the reserve/COVID-19 list. Any high-risk close contacts must go on the list for five days. That would rule such players out for Sunday's game against Houston.

Per the NFL's protocols, wearing a mask could be the difference between being deemed a high-risk close contact or not. Two weeks ago, Denver's four quarterbacks held a meeting without masks on. When one of them later tested positive for the virus, all were forced to go on the reserve/COVID-19 list – leaving the Broncos with no quarterbacks for a game against the New Orleans Saints.

"[The players] are doing a good job," Nagy said of his team. "They are following the rules. Again, when you leave this bubble, what are you doing? But our guys have answered all of the questions and have done things as best as they can."

Nagy said all players were tested again Thursday.

At this point there hasn't been any discussions about canceling or postponing Sunday's game. It's probably too soon to know until contact tracing is completed.

"[Bears head trainer Andre Tucker] and his team will go through all the close contacts with the league and then we’ll continue to make the decision that puts our players, coaches and staff in the best position possible," Nagy said.