Irish Daily Star

Elite players dodging the jab an insult

- ■ ■Paul LENNON

THE revelation that a huge number of

Premier League players — possibly as high as 66 per cent — are refusing to take Covid19 vaccine jabs is an affront to society.

Actually, it’s worse. Every person who decides not to receive the injection increases the risk to themselves and others of picking up the disease that can lead to long-term sickness and even death.

With the exception of Brentford, Wolves and Leeds United — whose vaccinatio­n rates are between 89 and 100 per cent — the other 17 Premier clubs average an appalling g 30 to 35 per cent.

Their rejection of medical sci- ence is truly y nauseating, , a danger to themselves but, more importantl­y, , to family members, friends and others whom they come into contact with.

Yes, a small percentage of vaccinated people are still getting Covid but that just proves how virulent this deadly disease is.

The more relevant figure is the one that confirms non-vaccinated folk are the ones primarily occupying hospital wards and ICU beds here and in the rest of the world.

Genuine

There are those who, for genuine medical reasons, cannot take the vaccine. This small minority must be respected and protected from coronaviru­s.

But whether the rest of the vaccine sceptics should enjoy the freedoms secured by those who have taken their jabs is debatable.

There’s a macho, boorish culture of entitlemen­t at the top level of football that is the backdrop to these shockingly low vaccine figures in the Premier.

The FA and Premier League’s anti- racism campaign is to be applauded but it’s about time they addressed the issue of Covid vaccinatio­ns with the same intensity.

There are vaccine ‘refusniks’ here too, with two prominent League of Ireland stars regularly taking to social media to peddle their loony theories.

Qualified

Neither of these players have qualified qua in th the medical fi field of how to treat in infectious d diseases.

Stick to th the day job, la lads.

Has there ev ever been a h hollower A All- Ireland football final victory than Tyrone’s?

The country united in its sympathy with the Ulster champions when a significan­t number of their squad picked up corona.

However, it emerged from the Tyrone camp that a substantia­l number of panellists had opted not to receive the jab for fear it might affect their training.

The mind boggles.

The GAA, FAI and IRFU banked over € 60m from the Government — ie Irish citizens — to help them cope with their losses triggered by Covid in 2020.

These three bodies expect to shortly pocket € 80m plus from the same source for the same reason this year.

Surely it’s not too much to expect the Government to stipulate that payment of this vast fortune be contingent on all these bodies’ players receiving Covid jabs before being allowed play.

 ?? ?? VICTORY: Tyrone’s players celebrate
VICTORY: Tyrone’s players celebrate
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