Vaccination of footballers has been a topic of constant conversation ever since the start of the coronavirus pandemic and it appears that Qatar are now looking to have the World Cup players vaccinated before the tournament.
The World Cup is set to take place in Qatar next year in November and the gulf nation has announced that all attendees will have to be fully vaccinated.
Qatar are working to secure millions of doses to immunise the fans as well.
It is understandable why Qatar are pushing for complete vaccination for the players especially with millions of fans from across the globe expected to travel into the country.
The risk of contagion will be multiplied several folds because of the constant visits from several nations across the world and it is at most important that the authorities focus on the safeguarding of the players.
Transmission of the virus could put the tournament in jeopardy and therefore it is advisable to be extra cautious regarding vaccination and immunisation procedures.
It would be a shame if the top players miss out on the tournament because of the COVID-19 infection.
Qatar have already vaccinated about 82% of their countries population and it will be interesting to see if they can convince the football stars to accept the covert jobs before taking part in the competition.
Apparently, talks are underway between stakeholders including FIFA and the Qatari medical authorities.
A FIFA spokesman told The Athletic: “In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, Qatar, as the host country, will provide the safeguards required to protect the health and safety of all involved in the competition. All attendees must follow the travel advice from the Qatari authorities and the latest guidance from the Ministry of Public Health. Full information on COVID-19 safety measures will be communicated to all client groups as we approach the competition.”
