Matthijs de Ligt is one of the players in the Dutch national team who has not taken a corona vaccination in the run-up to the European Championship, he told ESPN. The defender belonged to a group of Juventus players who became infected with the corona virus in January. After two weeks in quarantine, he returned to the match selection. Now the the Dutch International is one of the six players who did not want to be vaccinated, to the surprise of virologist Ab Osterhaus.
Osterhaus thinks that De Ligt should mainly think about the exemplary role that he and his fellow players have in the national team. “The main goal we need to achieve for next winter is to have all young people vaccinated. Then it does not help if these young people who are an example for many, including peers, do not get vaccinated ”, the virologist says in conversation with The Telegraph.
The players and staff members of the Dutch national team were given priority vaccinations against the corona virus last week, but several players decided against it. According to national coach Frank de Boer, it concerned ‘about six players’. “It was not mandatory,” said De Ligt on Friday. “I think you should be in charge of your own body. The risk of infection is always there and I have also heard that you can become infected after a vaccination. ”
De Ligt says it is taking other measures to prevent contamination. “The only thing you can do is protect yourself as much as possible and minimize contact with people outside the Dutch national team,” said the defender. People who have had a corona infection can also become infected again. The chance that they will become ill is smaller, but it is not known how small (and for how long).
The vaccine can also protect people who have already had the virus against corona symptoms and prevent them from ending up in hospital or dying from the consequences of the corona virus. But the duration of the vaccine’s effect is also not yet known. Osterhaus states that the top football players must realize that they will play in stadiums where many people come together at the European Championship. The risk of infections or contact with other people can therefore not be ruled out. “Vaccination is therefore also in the interest of the team.”
“Because what do you do when you have a number of infections in the team”, Osterhaus wonders aloud. “The best thing would be if they were vaccinated voluntarily.” The Dutch national team traveled to Lagos in Portugal today for a weeklong training camp. The Dutch national team will play a practice match against Scotland next Wednesday in the Algarve.
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