Unvaccinated athletes suffer from COVID-19. The pandemic has damaged our society greatly with suffering from gathering restrictions to segregation of vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals. According to usatoday.com, “Cases in children grew by 129% in the six weeks after school opened.” This is one reason athletics have been delayed. Athletes should get vaccinated in order to avoid consequences of COVID-19. Most sports involve physical contact which increases the spread of the virus, getting fully-vaccinated may keep you and loved ones healthy. Unvaccinated athletes may also suffer from not being able to play and/or may fail academically without sports scholarships. 

Because most sports involve physical contact, playing them may increase the spread of viruses to loved ones. According to PEWtrusts.org, “Many sports involve close contact, which increases the risk of COVID-19 infections”. For example, soccer and football are very close contact sports. Though it is outdoors, many athletes don’t require masks. However, indoor sports such as volleyball and basketball are required to wear masks at all times, whether you are vaccinated or not.

Unvaccinated athletes will suffer from being unable to play and may even fail academically without sports scholarships. “Without sports, some student athletes can’t receive sports scholarships, and others can suffer mentally, emotionally and physically from not playing” (Wright). As school is a part of most people’s lives, it affects those who love sports as well. Without an average GPA, many students wouldn’t make it through college, especially without a sports scholarship. Division 1 athletes are eligible for a 2.3 GPA or higher and a SAT score of 900. Sports scholarships are offered depending on athletic ability, but achieving good grades will increase chances of earning it.

Eventually vaccinations will likely be mandated throughout the world. Getting vaccinated will save you the time of dealing with difficulties later. “Italy was the first country in Europe to make the COVID-19 vaccine mandatory for healthcare workers” (“At a glance: Covid vaccine mandates around the world”). Jobs around the world will require vaccination cards. Many people will lose their jobs from refusing the vaccination.

Some athletes oppose getting vaccinated due to numerous rumors. Aside from its diverse side effects, many are afraid of negative results and some use religious reasons as an excuse to avoid vaccine mandates. Although people have their assumptions, the death rate of those vaccinated is actually five times less likely than those unvaccinated. Receiving the vaccine may assist one’s health during the consequences of Covid.  Without the vaccine, school athletes are limited to what they can do, and, under those circumstances, jobs around the world have been mandating the vaccine. As of right now, vaccines are distributed all over the world.

Sources Cited 

Wright, Allyah, Take the shot? School Explore Vaccine Mandates for Student Athletes,2021, https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/stateline/2021/09/27/take-the-shot-schools-explore-vaccine-mandates-for-student-athletes 

“At a glance: Covid vaccine mandates around the world.” TheGuardian.com, 2021, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/nov/09/covid-vaccine-mandates-around-the-world