Washington Football Team head coach Ron Rivera said about “50 percent” of the players have been vaccinated against COVID-19. In an effort to get the team to herd immunity, Rivera recently brought in a medical expert to educated players on facts of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Rivera said a number of players got the shot as a result of the Tuesday night’s conversation with the medical expert. However, one player bluntly said he wasn’t a fan of the team’s effort.
“I’m not a fan of it,” Washington defensive end Montez Sweat pronounced, per Sam Fortier of the Washington Post. “I probably won’t get vaccinated until I get more facts and all that type of stuff. I’m not a fan of it at all.”
Sweat was not wavered by Harvard immunologist Dr. Kizzmekia S. Corbett, who tried to answer questions and concerns of the team’s players. When asked about his hesitation on being vaccinated, Sweat had a peculiar answer.
“I haven’t caught COVID yet,” he said. “I don’t see me treating COVID until I actually get COVID.”
Interestingly, the vaccination doesn’t treat COVID. It’s a preventive measure against catching or acquiring severe complications from attracting the coronavirus, per CDC.
The NFL requires all Tier 1 and Tier 2 employees, which include coaching staffs, be vaccinated in order to relax COVID-19 protocols and enter restricted areas. The league will allow “bona fide” exemptions. Rivera told reporters after Wednesday’s practice all of his coaches and staff have been vaccinated.
Players are not required, but those who are will have relaxed protocols. Getting to herd immunity would allow the team collectively to move about the team’s facility and areas.
“Obviously, they want everybody to be vaccinated to move more freely around the facility and with traveling and all that type of stuff,” Sweat said. “But everybody has their own beliefs and they’re entitled to their own decision.”
Meanwhile, Washington offensive lineman Saahdiq Charles, who has already been vaccinated, said the discussion with Dr. Corbett was helpful.
“We’re a little sheltered in our football world. I learned a lot about the vaccine that I didn’t know.” Charles said, per Matthew Paras of the Washington Times.
