THE PBA has long maintained that its family getting anti-COVID vaccines would be the biggest factor in prompting the government to allow the pro league’s new season to commence.
If those jabs are to be the gauge, then the PBA is indeed very close to getting that long-awaited nod.
According to Commissioner Willie Marcial, a vast majority of the league’s family have gotten at least the first dose of the vaccine.
“May mga naghihintay pa ng preferred nilang vaccines pero almost 95 percent ng nabakunahan, at least ng first dose, sa linggong ito,” Marcial said.
Not all the players are willing to get the vaccines that would help protect them from the virus, however.
“May mga tatlong players, for whatever reason, ayaw talaga at hindi naman sila pipilitin ni Comm (Marcial). Choice nila iyon,” offered a league insider.
Marcial declined to comment on that issue and instead kept his focus on getting league and team personnel a more effective protection from the virus.
The PBA’s vaccination drive has been helped along by MMDA Chairman Benhur Abalos and testing czar Sec. Vince Dizon.
“By the time na pinayagan tayong mag-start, may mga naka-second dose na at lahat halos naka-first dose na so iyung punto na iyon sana makatulong ng husto para payagan na tayong mag-start,” said Marcial.
Experts maintain that getting vaccinated would not completely prevent an individual from getting infected. But that person would only be a mild case at worst and ditto for the infection he or she would pass on.
That fact is set to be included by Marcial in his presentation to the IATF if called to do so by the government agency either later yesterday or today.
Also to be pointed out by Marcial in his presentation are the teams’ strict compliance to the safety protocols instituted in last year’s Philippine Cup bubble and in the full-contact scrimmages the teams have been conducting in the provinces since mid-May. Such adherence would again be the norm in the coming season.
The PBA is sticking to its plan of opening the season, originally set last April, by July 18 at either Ynares venues in Antipolo or Pasig.
