Players' unwillingness to get vaccinated is the chief reason why Covid-19 breakouts have devasted the Premier League
Why are COVID-19 cases on the rise in the Premier League?
As it is evident, we can see that COVID-19 breakouts have disrupted the Premier League season. The Premier League, and English football in general, has hit a brick wall this weekend, with COVID-19 positive tests forcing the postponement of most fixtures.
Many managers have called for the league to be temporarily suspended due to fears of a new Omicron virus strain. They say the Premier League needs a break to help stabilize the situation and bring football back on track.
"The vaccination is very, very important"
Claudio Ranieri on the COVID-19 booster
@WatfordFC | #PL https://t.co/leEJ7wtshw
Now we must ask, why is only the Premier League disrupted and not any other league? The answer lies in the only logical explanation - vaccination rates.
As we observe, the Premier League has the maximum number of unvaccinated players in Europe's top five leagues. Therefore, only the English game has been significantly affected by the COVID-19 breakouts.
What is the vaccination status of the Premier League in comparison to Europe's top five leagues?
According to ITV, Premier League players are the least vaccinated in Europe's top leagues as a whole. Only 68 percent of the league's players have received two vaccinations, with 81 percent having received only one. The Italian Serie A has the most vaccinated players, with 98% of its players double-vaccinated.
👇👏👏👏 https://t.co/41hpfo0UDl
Serie A's high vaccination rate is followed by the French Ligue 1, with 95% of its players double-vaccinated. Then comes the German Bundesliga (94%) and the Spanish La Liga (90%).
Why are players hesitant on getting the vaccine?
Misinformation spreading like wildfire on the internet is the main reason why the Premier League has such low vaccination rates. Premier League players are global football superstars. By not getting inoculated, they are essentially sending the wrong message to their fans worldwide.
This has raised questions about why the wealthiest league in the world has had such difficulty persuading its stars to get the injection. Further, their unwillingness to get vaccinated jeopardizes the health of their teammates, opponents, and fans who come to attend the matches.
How do we tackle this crisis and move on?
Although immunizations do not prevent you 100% from contracting COVID, they do assist in keeping the virus from spreading. Because you must isolate yourself after coming into contact with someone who has the illness, it has wreaked havoc on English football this weekend. Universal vaccination is the only effective way to move out of this crisis.
Bruno Lage on the COVID-19 vaccination 👊
@Wolves | #PL https://t.co/BB8xMn4ANP
However, we must not dismiss these unvaccinated players as irresponsible. Playing the blame game now would further discourage players from being vaccinated. In order to increase vaccination rates, it is crucial to clamp down on misinformation and enforce stricter sanctions against unvaccinated players.
The author of this article would also urge the readers to get vaccinated. In such difficult times, let us be more responsible and heed the words of medical experts and get vaccinated.