Inter Miami players receive COVID-19 vaccine

Inter Miami CF players received their first doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine on Monday at Inter Miami CF Stadium as eligibility expanded throughout the state.

All Floridians over the age of 18 became eligible to receive the vaccine on Monday, with the Pfizer vaccine available to everyone 16 or older. Inter Miami’s Fort Lauderdale stadium has been serving as a Broward Health-operated vaccination site since Jan. 12.

Players will get the second dose in the “coming weeks.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends individuals receiving the Pfizer vaccine get their second shot at least 21 days after the first one — meaning Inter Miami players who received their first shot this week could be fully vaccinated by mid-May.

“You see the way we were living the last 1 ½ years, it’s not easy,” Inter Miami right back Kelvin Leerdam said. “I’m trying to do my part to get back to normal life.”

Over 5.6 million people in Florida have received at least one dose of a COVID vaccine.

The state has reported over 2 million coronavirus cases and nearly34,000deathsduetoCOVID19 since the pandemic began.

“We know how important it is to get vaccinated,” Inter Miami defender Victor Ulloa said, “and I’m happy I was able to do that [Monday].”

Inter Miami will play three preseason friendlies this week before kicking off their second season in Major League Soccer against the LA Galaxy on April 18 at Inter Miami CF Stadium.