Sports minister suggests Premier League stars are being scared off from taking Covid-19 jabs by anti-vaxxer propaganda as just TWO Premier League clubs reveal that all their players have been fully vaccinated
- Only Wolves and Leeds have confirmed that all their players are double jabbed
- Sports minister Nigel Huddleston stressed that Covid-19 jabs were a ‘lifesaver’
- His message echoes that issued by Jonathan Van-Tam earlier this month
- Mikel Arteta and Steve Bruce have admitted that not all their players are jabbed
- Granit Xhaka is the only Premier League player confirmed to have refused a jab
- A league shareholders’ meeting stressed the need for clubs to promote uptake
The sports minister Nigel Huddleston believes some Premier League stars are being put off from Covid-19 due to worries about after-effects being peddled by anti-vaxxers.
Only two top-flight clubs – Wolves and Leeds – have confirmed that the whole of their first-team squad has been fully jabbed, with some clubs struggling to reach the 50% mark.
Speaking to The Sun on Sunday in quotes carried by The Times, Huddleston said: ‘It is disappointing to hear there may be some footballers unwilling to get vaccinated, perhaps due to misinformation online.
Nigel Huddleston suggested Covid-19 propaganda was stopping footballers getting jabbed
Leeds and Wolves are the only two Premier League sides where everyone is double jabbed
‘Whilst we continue to work with social media companies to tackle anti-vax fake news, I join Jonathan Van-Tam in strongly urging players to get vaccinated.
‘The evidence is overwhelming that getting vaccinated against Covid-19 is a lifesaver, protecting you and helping to protect your friends, family and team-mates.’
The message to get vaccinated follows a similar one aimed at footballers by Van-Tam earlier this month in which he addressed fears about the vaccines and said: ‘I am not mincing my words: get the jab!’
Mikel Arteta and Steve Bruce have admitted that some of their players have resisted vaccination, with Bruce revealing that ‘conspiracy theories’ as a contributory factor.
Jonathan Van-Tam issued a clear message to footballers earlier this month to get the jab
Steve Bruce said that ‘conspiracy theories’ had stopped some of his squad getting vaccinated
Granit Xhaka is the biggest-name player not to have been vaccinated – despite getting Covid
Granit Xhaka – who tested positive for Covid earlier this month – is the only Premier League player who has been named as not having been jabbed.
The subject of player vaccination rates was discussed at a Premier League shareholders’ meeting last week in which clubs vowed to do more to promote uptake.
Speaking last month, England manager Gareth Southgate has said he received more abuse for encouraging people to get vaccinated than he did for supporting players taking the knee and his tactics during Euro 2020.