By Antigoni Zachari / info@eurohoops.net
The NBA has seen an increase in vaccination rates in recent days when accounting for players who have received at least one of the required shots, as it has been reported by ESPN on Thursday.
The current vaccination rate in the league has been raised to 95% since the beginning of training camps this week. And while a few high-profile names such as Nets‘ Kyrie Irving and Wizards‘ Bradley Beal remain unvaccinated, recently, reigning NBA champion and two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo confirmed that he has received the vaccine.
The current league protocols will subject unvaccinated players to many of the same restrictions that the entire league faced in the 2020-21 season, prior to the vaccine, while unvaccinated players will also be required to undergo far more frequent testing than their vaccinated counterparts.
Recently, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar criticized those who have been refusing to receive the vaccine, stating that “there is no room for players who are willing to risk the health and lives of their teammates, the staff and the fans simply because they are unable to grasp the seriousness of the situation or do the necessary research”.
Per current regulations, the use of face masks remains mandatory both for vaccinated and non-vaccinated players and they must be worn at all times in team facilities, during traveling with the team, and wherever else required by the law.