YANKS GET REAL SHOT IN THE ARMS

Bulk of Bombers are vaccinated

The widespread vaccine hesitancy in baseball has not affected the Yankees, apparently. Nearly all of the players and staff on the team were vaccinated before and after Wednesday’s loss to the Orioles. “Exciting day in that regard,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said of his players getting vaccinated. Boone himself got the jab earlier this spring.

Teams that have 85% of “tier 1” employees — players, coaches and high-level staff — fully vaccinated can live a far more relaxed life. They have minimal restrictions on activity, and critically, when vaccinated, they don’t have to quarantine after a COVID exposure. Enough Yankees players received the Johnson & Johnson one-shot vaccine to hit that threshold, according to The Athletic, and can therefore loosen up in two weeks. “The New York Yankees would like to offer their sincere thanks to Dr. Philip Ozuah, President of Montefiore Medical Center, and the hard-working and dedicated group of medical staff from this Bronxbased hospital, who have been on-site at Yankee Stadium this evening to administer COVID vaccinations to New York Yankees players, coaches, field staff and support staff,” the Yankees said. “This process has been seamless and efficient, and we are grateful that by receiving the vaccine, we can contribute to stopping the spread of COVID-19.”

Ozuah did an interview with Michael Kay in the top of the seventh inning of Wednesday night’s game. Kay gave him the floor to explain the importance of getting vaccinated.

With New York state opening vaccines to everyone over 16 this week, all Yankees and Mets players are eligible to receive shots.

Outside of the Yankees, there have been significant pockets of vaccine hesistancy in baseball. Nearly every Met asked about the shot has called it a “personal choice,” eliding the public health consequences of both not getting vaccinated and framing vaccines that way.

After several Mets players were evasive about the vaccine, the team held an information session that Jeff McNeil called “extremely informative.”

They’ll have the chance to get jabbed after Thursday’s game against the Marlins.