Researchers say that prominent people getting the COVID-19 vaccine while urging others to get inoculated could help overcome widespread skepticism.
However, while many influential persons like athletes are getting vaccinated, in the same breath, they are adamant that taking the vaccine should be a personal decision and should not ever be made mandatory to compete.
Many persons believe that the vaccine could be made mandatory to visit certain countries, to compete in certain disciplines, attend learning institutions, or even as a prerequisite to get certain jobs.
Guyana’s CrossFit champions, Delice Adonis and Dillon Mahadeo gave their opinions on whether or not the vaccines should be made mandatory for athletes.
Adonis, 23, who recently got her first jab told Stabroek Sport yesterday “I don’t think sportswomen and men should be mandated to be vaccinated because I generally believe people have a right to not be forced to do something they don’t want.”
Adonis who represented Guyana at the pinnacle of her sport in 2019 added, “However I do believe that as a sportsperson you should want to get vaccinated, especially if you play a team/contact sport. I would definitely encourage other young persons to get vaccinated. Vaccines don’t only protect you but they protect others around you.”
Mahadeo, a five-time national CrossFit champ echoed a similar sentiment; “I believe the vaccination is necessary but I don’t believe it should be mandatory for sportsmen/sportswomen to take the vaccine in order to compete.”
The 25 year-old continued, “It should be a personal preference. I will be taking the vaccine and I’d encourage young persons to do likewise.”
In the race to achieve herd immunity, the government of Guyana a week ago, lowered the age of eligibility to 18 to receive the free COVID-19 jabs.
So far, the Ministry of Health has seen a positive response to its aggressive vaccination campaign with more than 100,000 citizens having received their first dose of either the Sinopharm, Sputnik V, or AstraZeneca vaccine.
