Raiders discontinue all business travel due to coronavirus pandemic

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The Raiders have ceased all business travel, the team said in a Friday statement, joining several NFL teams in grounding their operations due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that has forced the permanent or temporary suspension of major and minor athletic competition.

President Donald Trump issued a national emergency Friday to help deal with a virus that has spread across the world, with increasing numbers in the United States.

The Raiders are encouraging employees to work from home.

Here is the Raiders' statement in its entirety:

“The Raiders have discontinued business-related travel for scouts, coaches and football staff and have encouraged all employees to work from home. The organization will continue to collaborate with the NFL and health officials to monitor developments regarding COVID-19.”

The NFL prohibited pre-draft facility visits for NFL draft-eligible prospects, which typically take place in weeks leading up to the annual amateur selection process.

Here’s the full copy of that NFL letter sent to teams on Friday.

At the time of this publication, the NFL still planned to start the NFL league year on March 18, with the free-agent negotiating window set to open Monday. The Raiders still are set to host the NFL draft in Las Vegas in late April.

[RELATED: How sports awakened, enlightened Americans on coronavirus]

While the Raiders now are formally attached to the Las Vegas market, they still are conducting football operations at their Alameda facility. Their new training complex in Henderson, Nev. remains under construction and is set to be open in June.

The Raiders plan to conduct the NFL draft and work the free-agent process from the East Bay. They also plan to conduct most of the offseason program from that site.

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