Black Caps primed to be vaccinatied

Black Caps cricketers and support staff are set to start being vaccinated against Covid19 in Wellington today, the Ministry of Health and New Zealand Cricket have confirmed to Stuff.

The Black Caps were widely expected to be approved for an early vaccine through the Government’s ‘‘reasons of national significance’’ criteria.

A number of Tokyo Olympians have already been vaccinated through this pathway, with the Olympics just three months off. Dame Valerie Adams will be vaccinated today in Auckland.

The Black Caps are due to travel to England, where they will play two tests against the home side and a one-off World Test Championship final against India in Southampton on June 18-23.

Originally scheduled to be played at Lord’s, the test was moved to Southampton for Covid-19 related reasons.

It is currently unconfirmed when the Black Caps applied for, and were formally approved, for early vaccination.

When the category was announced on March 24, Minister for Covid-19 Response Chris Hipkins said national significance was expected to cover national teams playing overseas in televised sporting events.

Several Black Caps – captain Kane Williamson among them – are already in India, taking part in the Indian Premier League.

Stuff understands most of those players are yet to be vaccinated. India has had the second-most Covid cases in the world after the United States, with more than 14 million.