THE COVID-19 vaccines are so near, yet the collegiate league seasons are so far.
While the country’s inoculation program is expected to begin next month, a highly-reliable Malaya-Business Insight source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said it does not guarantee the NCAA 96th season would be green lighted.
“Hindi rin (assurance that the vaccines will pave the way for the opening of the season), kasi nga, iyong acceptability ng vaccine, hindi mo masabi,” the source said. “You cannot guarantee na magpapaturok lahat.”
Companies such as Pfizer, AstraZeneca, and Gamaleya have applied for vaccine emergency use in the Philippines. Pfizer’s application for emergency use has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
The Philippines is currently among the developing nations waiting to procure vaccines for the deadly pulmonary disease, with the first batch of doses, likely from the China-made Sinovac or Pfizer, expected to reach the local shores next month.
The source said the country’s oldest collegiate league is taking a wait-and-see approach after it held an informal survey on its athletes and their parents.
“Ongoing pa iyong informal survey pero sabi ko nga sa iyo, mahaba pa iyang vaccine na iyan. Hindi pa agad-agad iyan,” the source said.
“Madaling bumili pero sino ang magpapaturok? So, iyon muna. Waiting muna sa results ng aming informal survey.”
The source insisted procuring vaccines and choosing the brand should not be a problem.
“Direct kaming o-order so we can choose the brand,” the source said.
“Ang question nga is we can have the brand that we want, but papayag ba iyang mga schools na ma-vaccinate ang mga estudyante nila? Number two, papayag ba iyong student athletes and magulang nila?”
