Premier League and UK government urge footballers to get Covid-19 vaccine
December 18, 2021, 7:51 am

Premier League and UK government urge footballers to get Covid-19 vaccine

Football-Sports ground/Pixabay

The BBC reported that the Premier League and UK government have urged footballers to get vaccinated against Covid-19.

It said that half this weekend's top-flight games have been postponed because of outbreaks of the virus at clubs.

It mentioned that in the English Football League - where 25% of players say they do not intend to get the jab - 19 fixtures due to be played on Saturday have been postponed.

Sports Minister Nigel Huddleston said: "Getting the jab is the socially responsible thing to do."

"The most important thing anyone - including footballers - can do to protect themselves, co-workers and loved ones is to get vaccinated and get a booster.

"I know the football authorities are also working with players to understand why some are vaccine hesitant."

COVID-19-Astrazeneca-COVID vaccination/Pixabay

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp believes getting a vaccination should be mandatory "from a moral point of view" and revealed "99%" of his squad have had both jabs.

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He said: "It's a question of persuading," adding that "If I do something that helps the people around me then for me that's mandatory - but obviously some people see that differently.

"I'm 54 years old and I am really a big believer that you can convince people about the right things to do but I'm not sure in this specific case."

The BBC said that the most recent data from the Premier League, published in October, revealed that 81% of Premier League players had had at least one jab, while 68% had been given two doses.

It noted that across the UK, 89% of over-12s have had their first vaccine dose, 82% have had their second and 44% have had a booster.

Unvaccinated people who are deemed a close contact of someone who has tested positive for coronavirus must self-isolate for 10 days under the legal requirements set out by the UK government.

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Premier League chief executive Richard Masters has written to all member clubs asking them to "strongly encourage" players to get vaccinated.

He wrote: "We have collectively highlighted the importance of vaccination and it has never been more important."

"Please strongly encourage those who are not fully vaccinated to become so, and the many who are, to get their booster, which appears to be the only significant layer of protection against the Omicron variant."

Source: BBC

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”