Football pundit Danny: Jab saved me from serious Covid
MATCH Of The Day pundit Danny Murphy revealed last night that he has tested positive for Covid and is ‘thankful’ he has had two vaccine doses.
The former England international footballer and Mail on Sunday columnist was forced to miss last night’s show after being laid low by the virus, but said: ‘I’m on the mend after going through a tough couple of days feeling very fatigued and a high temperature.
‘I’m just thankful I’d been double-jabbed because the evidence suggests I would have suffered more otherwise. And having been through it I certainly wouldn’t have wanted worse symptoms than I got. Be safe everyone and I look forward to resuming normal life in a few days.’
The 41-year-old’s support for the vaccination programme comes as pressure mounts on Premier League players and clubs to be more transparent about who has been jabbed. Experts say that public backing by football stars for the jabs would boost take-up rates.
Only three of the 20 Premier League clubs – Leeds, Wolves and Brentford – have provided details on their vaccination rates, which range from 89 per cent to 100 per cent. The MoS is aware of several players who are refusing to have the jabs, despite pleas from their managers. We can also reveal that Premier League clubs paid out wages of more than £9million to 70 first-team footballers sidelined with Covid last season, according to an analysis of injuries and illness by the insurance brokers Howden.
In a powerful article for the MoS last month, Murphy wrote: ‘I am in disbelief that any Premier League squad would have several players in it who have declined the opportunity to be vaccinated.’