NHL grapples with vaccine inequity in US and Canada
His smile covered by a light blue surgical mask, Jacob Trouba’s eyes shined as the needle went into his left arm.
The New York Rangers gave players, coaches and staff a day off this week so they could get vaccinated against COVID-19.
“We’re very fortunate to be able to get that vaccine,” Trouba said.
As vaccinations ramp up past a pace of 3 million a day in the U.S, the NHL is in a tougher spot than the other three major North American professional sports leagues because seven of its 31 teams are based in Canada. While the NFL, NBA and Major League Baseball are relaxing virus protocols when a certain percentage of each team is fully vaccinated, the top hockey league in the world is facing a severe outbreak with the Vancouver Canucks and grappling with vaccine inequity on opposite sides of the border.
“It all comes down to the government guidelines, and it’s out of our control,” U.S.-born Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck said. “You definitely see the States getting out the vaccinations well and it’s very good, very nice, and it’d be nice to see that in Canada, but I don’t know the logistics of it all.”
Canada has lagged in vaccinations because, like many other countries, it lacks the ability to manufacture vaccines and has had to rely on the global supply chain. While hope is on the way with 45 million doses expected to be available by July for the nation of 38 million people, cases in Canada are surging, and the NHL is not immune.
The Canucks reported 21 players and four staff members tested positive for the virus and another is considered a close contact. Team physician Jim Bovard called the outbreak “a stark reminder of how quickly the virus can spread and its serious impact, even among healthy, young athletes.”
The NHL got around the U.S.-Canada border being closed to nonessential travel by making this 56-game season divisional play only, with the seven Canadian teams only facing each other.
And because of that split, hockey has mirrored the evolving virus situations in the U.S. and Canada. From Jan. 13-March 31, players on Canadian teams accounted for just 103 of the 1,361 appearances on the NHL COVID protocol list — with just one of a season-high 59 players Feb. 12.
Since April 1, players on Canadian teams have accounted for 138 of 160 instances, including 23 of 25 Thursday.
As of Thursday, over a third of the U.S. general population had received at least one dose and 19.9 percent was fully vaccinated, compared to 11.91 percent with one shot and 1.76 percent fully vaccinated in Canada.
“There’s two different countries, different roles, different situations,” Sweden-born Calgary Flames forward Mikael Backlund said. “Nothing we can do about it, really. So, we just have to wait for our turn.”