Washington Wizards All-NBA shooting guard Bradley Beal turned heads with his comments regarding the COVID-19 vaccination at Wizards Media Day on Monday, in which he seemed to question the efficacy of vaccines against the novel coronavirus. Beal asked reporters during the media session “I would ask the question to those who are getting vaccinated ‘why are you still getting COVID?
He was asked again Tuesday if he would like to clarify his stance and added that he was still considering getting the vaccine and that he would not presume to tell people what health decisions they should make.
Bradley Beal is asked again about how he came to the personal decision not to get the COVID vaccine: "I’m still considering getting the vaccine, so one thing I want to make clear is that I’m not sitting up here advocating that you shouldn’t get the vaccine.”
— Ben Rohrbach (@brohrbach) September 28, 2021
Additionally, Beal added that doctors recommended that he not get the vaccine yet anyway because he is still within the 60-day window of getting COVID, which likely is from when he was forced to quarantine and leave Team USA Basketball over the summer due to exposure to the virus.
Beal said it was recommended he should not yet get the vaccine, because he is still within the 60-day window of having COVID.
“I’m not sitting here saying I won’t get it."
— Ben Rohrbach (@brohrbach) September 28, 2021
Nonetheless, Beal’s comments predictably catalyzed a social media firestorm, with reactions coming in no shortage of variety. He has made it clear that he is still considering getting the vaccine, and it is likely in his best interest to do so, as he would not be able to play any away games in California or New York should he choose to not get vaccinated. Beal would also be subject to increased testing and differing travel arrangements should he remain unvaccinated.
Beal’s comments come amidst a barrage of other statements and speculation about the vaccine status of other stars such as Kyrie Irving and Andrew Wiggins, who are subject to California and New York’s vaccine mandates.
All stats courtesy of ESPN and Basketball-Reference
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