Alarm in Serie A as people against vaccination spread panic

An explosion of COVID-19 in the Spezia squad has sounded the alarm bells. Up to 11 players have tested positive, forcing the club to suspend their pre-season matches and conduct individual training.

Spezia doctor Vincenzo Salini believes he has identified the origin of the outbreak.
“We performed the first dose of the Novax vaccine,” he explained.
“Two players did not want to be vaccinated. The players should be vaccinated, but we can only try to convince.”
Serie A now fears that the example of Spezia will be repeated among other teams in the league. The new protocol issued by the Italian federation explains how to limit explosions.
Again, the data is positive. La Gazzetta dello Sport estimates that 90 percent of the staff of each team (players, coaches and others) have received at least one dose. The problem lies with two to three members of each team who have refused the vaccine.
The media vaccination campaign has been strong and Inter set an example by getting vaccinated before the start of the European Championship. The federation also served as an intermediary to facilitate vaccination and AC Milan, Fiorentina, Empoli and Bologna all took advantage of it. The players association sent a letter to all its members explaining that it is essential to be vaccinated.

“We have organized several meetings to explain to the players the importance of vaccines,” said Bologna doctor and member of the federation’s medical commission, Gianni Nanni.
“From a legal point of view we can not force anyone, but it is necessary for those who refuse to be vaccinated to respond from a moral and economic point of view. This is not the flu and needs special rules.”

Nanni is not the only evidence that La Gazzetta dello Sport gathered in an extensive report stressing the importance of vaccination for Serie A.
“We need to vaccinate everyone and quickly,” added Maurizio Casasco, president of the federation of sports doctors.

“Then there will be fewer infections and fewer variants. Social responsibility is more important than individual responsibility. If we do not become aware, the variants will increase and this will translate into infections and death.”