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The NFL is gearing up for another season amid the coronavirus pandemic and there was some speculation regarding COVID-19 vaccinations.
On Thursday, the NFL and NFL Players Association made it clear that the league would not be requiring coronavirus vaccines for players, coaches, or staff members.
However, they will incentivize vaccinations.
“Right up front, let me be clear: The NFL and the NFL Players Association have no intention of making the COVID-19 vaccine mandatory for players, coaches or staff,” Dr. Allen Sills, the NFL’s chief medical officer, told Judy Battista of NFL Media.
“What we are focusing on is education. We want everyone to have the facts, and we believe that this is an important step forward. Again, as we spoke about for the draft room experience, you’ll see vaccinated individuals be able to have certain privileges and certain precautions that are lifted that won’t apply to unvaccinated individuals. We’ll continue those discussions. Again, go where the science leads us on that. But I think we’ve got a lot to learn between now and then. But we’re really going to focus on getting that education and continuing that dialogue. We’re seeing a lot of dialogue among players, coaches, and staff about vaccinations. We hope everyone gets vaccinated. That would be our hope.”
Now we just have to hope that there are no widespread outbreaks in any locker rooms so we can enjoy a COVID-free season.
