Levi’s Stadium has been a COVID-19 vaccination hub for over 125,000 people the past two months. Now, 49ers players and staff are encouraged to be vaccinated when they report for the offseason program that can begin next week.
The NFL issued a memo Tuesday outlining its push for mass vaccination against COVID-19, which might be greeted with opposition in some quarters.
Employees, other than players, must have “bona fide medical or religious ground” for refusing a COVID-19 vaccination, otherwise they won’t be allowed to enter football-only areas, according to the memo that was posted by NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. Players are not required to be vaccinated but are strongly encouraged.
“The overwhelming consensus among medical and public health experts is that the most effective way for someone to avoid the risk of contracting COVID-19 — and the risk of infecting others — is to be vaccinated,” read the NFL’s memorandum, set forth by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, 49ers owner John York (chair of the health and safety committee) and Giants owner John Mara (chair of the management council).
NFL teams were advised to set up a Vaccination Day for employees, to have that plan in place by Monday, and to inform everyone that such vaccine passports will allow staff to shed tracking devices and loosen other COVID-19 safety criteria such as high-risk contact status.
Here’s the full NFL memo, which also says teams must report weekly the number of employees who are vaccinated, as conversations with the NFLPA continue on the thresholds at which protocols on testing, PPE, travel, etc., can be relaxed. pic.twitter.com/FXuIhFP6Vh
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) April 13, 2021
The 49ers went 6-10 last season and finished last in the NFC West while using 84 players, their most in a non-strike season because of injuries and COVID-19 issues.
Meanwhile, the league has its first team boycotting offseason activities due to concerns about the pandemic.
The Denver Broncos’ players, in a statement issued through the NFL Players Association, announced their intention to boycott offseason workouts.
A statement on behalf of the Denver Broncos players: pic.twitter.com/b7ZQZ1Z7PY
— NFLPA (@NFLPA) April 13, 2021
“COVID-19 remains a serious threat to our families and to our community, and it makes no sense for us as players to put ourselves at risk during this dead period,” read, in part, the Broncos players’ statement. “Positivity rates are higher in our city than they were at this time last year and we know players have been infected at club facilities in recent weeks.
“Despite having a completely virtual offseason last year, the quality of play across the NFL was better than ever by almost every measure.”
The Seattle Seahawks’ players also released a statement announcing their boycott through the NFLPA, citing their rights under the collective bargaining agreement and stressing that the offseason program is voluntary.
