UNIVERSITY of the Philippines is keen on helping in the immunization of its athletes once the much-awaited COVID-19 vaccine arrives.
Aside from its players, the school will also lend a hand for its students, according to UAAP Board of Managing Directors member and UP College of Human Kinetics dean Francis “Kiko” Diaz.
“The university officials of UP, I’m sure, have this in their mind,” Diaz told Malaya-Business Insight.
“We put welfare of students quite the same, athlete man or non-athlete, parehong kailangan ng vaccination,” he added.
Companies such as Pfizer, AstraZeneca, and Gamaleya have applied for vaccine emergency use in the Philippines.
The country is currently among the developing nations waiting to procure vaccines for the deadly COVID-19 pandemic, with the first batch of doses, likely from the China-made Sinovac, expected to reach local shores next month.
The league called off its 83rd season last December due to the health perils and uncertainties posed by the pandemic. It intends to launch its 84th season in September if and when the government allows it.
The cancellation of the 83rd season marked the first time the UAAP scrapped a season since World War II from 1941 to 1946.
The remainder of the 82nd season was also called off in April last year at the start of the government-imposed quarantine measures to curb the spread of the lethal virus and initially planned to have a full calendar in the 83rd season.
Among the sports that were scrapped in the 82nd season were the much-awaited women’s volleyball tourney, football, baseball, softball, athletics, lawn tennis, and 3í—3 basketball.
The Commission on Higher Education released the safety and health guidelines for the resumption of varsity training last October.
Nearly three months after, collegiate leagues are still waiting for green light from the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.
The Philippine Sports Commission also crafted guidelines for the conduct of collegiate tournaments last December.
