An NBA plan to promote COVID-19 vaccinations through sponsored public service announcements with many of the biggest stars in the league has reportedly received a blow.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, many of the league’s top players are concerned about promoting the safety and efficacy of the vaccine.
Among the reported factors behind the enthusiastic response are uncertainty about taking the vaccine itself, the unwillingness to force others to take it and the lack of desire to do favors for a league striving for an All-Star match against the wishes of many of his superstars.
The NBA still vaccinated PSAs, but with Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, rather than any active players. The hope is that the endorsement of the players will have a greater impact on black communities particularly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
NBA players are concerned about the impact of the vaccine on performance
Amid the push for the PSAs, the league apparently instituted mandatory team seminars with Dr. Leroy Sims, the NBA’s senior vice president of medical affairs, with the goal of informing players about the safety and efficacy of the vaccine.
Sims reportedly told ESPN that he had already completed 20 offers to teams, and expected to meet with virtually all 30 teams by Monday. The presentations apparently emphasize the data and science behind the vaccine, and the potential benefit that can be gained by endorsing its use.
The reception of the offers so far has apparently been solid, even though Sims has insisted on incorrect information about the vaccine.
From ESPN:
“I tried to tackle the wrong information – that the development process was accelerated, that the vaccine could change genetics, that the trials were not diverse,” Sims said. “I get the question, ‘If it gets this chance, is it going to affect my performance?’ I went through them about the results of the different types of vaccine, and I conclude with the benefits of vaccination.
“I can tell you that these guys listen based on questions I get. They also ask, ‘Why would we get this if there was not a lot of time to see what the long-term effects are?’ These guys look at data all the time, I know they get the data, and appeal to them at that level.
“In terms of vaccinations, any long-term [issues] with vaccinations, you tend to see in the first few months. Shots started spinning in the arms of people in March last year, so we already have a lot of data and we continue to collect it.
NBA players reflect the black community in skepticism
NBA superstars who are skeptical about the vaccine are not a major departure from the general reaction of the Black community.
A December poll found that only 42 percent of Black Americans said they would definitely or likely be vaccinated, compared to 63 percent of Hispanic adults, 61 percent of white adults, and 83 percent of Asian Americans. This is despite the fact that 71 percent of black respondents in the same poll said they know someone who was hospitalized or died from the coronavirus, higher than all the other groups.
There are many factors behind the fear, not the least of which is a cruel history of medical abuse against the Black community. NBA commissioner Adam Silver nevertheless spoke about the importance of improving vaccine acceptance.
From ESPN:
“In the African-American community, there was a huge difference in COVID … but now, somewhat perversely, there was enormous resistance. [to vaccinations] in the African-American community for understandable historical reasons, “Silver said recently.” If the resistance continues, it will be a double whammy for the Black community, because the only way out of this pandemic is to be vaccinated. “
Silver apparently told general managers that teams could be encouraged to take the vaccine by loosening the quarantine and test protocols.
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