Report: Colts among teams with low vaccination rates
As the 2021 season approaches and the league looks to put COVID-19 in the rearview mirror, they are urging players and staff to get vaccinated in order to get back to some semblance of normal.
However, a report from the Washington Post revealed that the Indianapolis Colts are among the teams with the fewest vaccinations.
“The teams not doing as well with their player-vaccination rates include the Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Arizona Cardinals and Los Angeles Chargers, according to that person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the league and NFLPA have not released player-vaccination rates.”
Typically, vaccinations wouldn’t be newsworthy. But because COVID-19 can keep a player from getting on the field, it will be a storyline to watch for the Colts throughout the preseason and regular season.
The league hasn’t made the vaccinations mandatory but with their release of the protocols for the vaccinated and unvaccinated players, there will be much incentive to go with the former option.
From Doug Farrar of Touchdown Wire on the difference in protocol between vaccinated and unvaccinated players:
“The difference is pretty stark. Players who are not fully vaccinated have to be tested for COVID every day. They must wear masks at all times at team facilities and during team travel. They must remain physically distant from others in team facilities. They must quarantine after any high-risk exposure to COVID. They will undergo travel restrictions. They must be limited regarding personnel in the weight room. They can’t eat with their teammates in the cafeteria. There are no social media/marketing/sponsorship activities permitted. They may not use the team sauna or steam room. They can’t leave team hotels to eat in restaurants, and they can’t interact with anyone outside of the team’s traveling party during team travel.
Vaccinated players have no such restrictions.”
It will be interesting to see if the Colts wind up getting a higher vaccination rate after the players see the difference in protocol. The league hasn’t mandated it so, of course, they are free to make their own decision.
But that doesn’t mean they are free from the consequences should something happen mid-season.
