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Adam Silver says NBA is discussing COVID-19 vaccination of players as PSA

Discussion in 'NBA Dish' started by Texanasiafan, Jan 19, 2021.

  1. Texanasiafan

    Texanasiafan Member

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    https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/30742821/nba-talking-vaccinating-players-psa


    NBA commissioner Adam Silver said Tuesday the league has discussed having players receive COVID-19 vaccines to educate and influence the public regarding their safety and effectiveness.

    "There have been discussions. It's something we're particularly focused on," Silver said at a virtual conference hosted by Sportico.

    "In the African American community, there's been enormously disparate impact from COVID ... but now, somewhat perversely, there's been enormous resistance [to vaccinations] in the African American community for understandable historical reasons. ... If that resistance continues, it would be very much a double whammy to the Black community, because the only way out of this pandemic is to get vaccinated."

    Some public health experts, including Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institutes of Health, have said that leaders with large platforms such as ministers, entertainers and athletes can set an example by getting the vaccine.

    "Several public health officials -- and this is operating state by state right now -- have suggested there would be a real public health benefit to getting some very high-profile African Americans vaccinated to demonstrate to the larger community that it is safe and effective," Silver said.

    "At the appropriate time, whenever that is and whether that's directed federally by NIH or CDC or ultimately state-by-state programs, we think there's real value in our players demonstrating to a broader community how important it is to get vaccinated."

    Michele Roberts, the executive director of the National Basketball Players Association, has indicated that discussions with players have shown that many are hesitant about getting the vaccine. She herself is hesitant.

    "I've heard they want Black influencers to step up, convince the Black community to do this," Roberts said in an interview with Yahoo Sports last month. "I'm just waiting on the tap on the shoulder to say, 'Michele, will the players do this?' I know it's coming.

    "But I haven't made up my mind. I'm eager to be convinced that these are safe. I'm hopeful I'll be convinced that they're safe. But I'm not a cheerleader."

    Last week Kareem Abdul-Jabbar received his first dose of the vaccine and is now spreading support for it. On Monday, the NBA released a public service announcement featuring Abdul-Jabbar's action during its Martin Luther King Day slate of games. Baseball Hall of Famer Hank Aaron also has received the vaccine and hopes to spread the message.

    Silver said last month that "there's no way we'd ever jump the line in any form whatsoever," and he emphasized that the NBA would not attempt to get the vaccine for players without the support of public health officials.

    The NBA is currently dealing with an outbreak of the virus, as 15 games have been postponed already this season, including 14 since Jan. 10.

    "Anything we will do will be fully transparent and in conjunction with public health authorities, so there's no sense whatsoever that there's some favoritism going on here," Silver said. "Only be done if public health officials determine on balance it was the right time to vaccinate our players."
     
  2. Texanasiafan

    Texanasiafan Member

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    This is a very dumb and stupid idea considering less than a few weeks ago Silver clearly said : We will not cut the line.

    Using such excuse is just laughable : "there's been enormous resistance [to vaccinations] in the African American community for understandable historical reasons".

    Just openly admit it : Its hard to control our players to go to strip clubs and having parties, so for the best interest of the league, we should take advantage of this.
     
  3. Reeko

    Reeko Member

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    the Tuskegee experiment had real consequences
     
    Jontro likes this.
  4. Jontro

    Jontro Member

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    dave sturn would have been in full control of the players. silver is too lenient
     
  5. nickb492

    nickb492 Contributing Member

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    No. Referring that this is even close to the same is stupid.
     
  6. Reeko

    Reeko Member

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    um, many black people don’t have faith in public health officials, and things like the Tuskegee experiment in the past are part of the reason why
     
    Rocket River likes this.
  7. Omihall23

    Omihall23 Member

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    What’s dumb and stupid is people who aren’t black assuming that they know what black people are thinking. The fear of the vaccine is very real within the black community and should not be marginalized.
     
  8. ksny15

    ksny15 Member

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    If they cut in line it’s absolute bullshit. I can’t image they will be able to even do that through.
     
    cmoak1982 likes this.
  9. nickb492

    nickb492 Contributing Member

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    I apologize. I thought you were trying to compare that the Tuskegee experiment was equal to the Covid vaccination.
     
  10. Texanasiafan

    Texanasiafan Member

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    Do you aware that the first human being in the US to take the vaccine is a black female nurse?

    Whether its a PR move or not, at least the government was trying (even under Trump), that's why I said Silver using this excuse is just lame.
     
  11. SamFisher

    SamFisher Contributing Member

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    After thinking about it for awhile, I dont' mind it - they are at high risk for spreading the virus to others since they travel so much and don't give a **** about the rules, apparently. In a sane country they would't be playing, but, this is the mother****in USA, so of course they are playing.

    Yes, ideally all of the doses would go to highest need recipients but in the US, our rollout has been so scattershot, 1000 or so doses going to NBA players doesn't seem like the biggest deal in teh world. Especially if they turn arenas into mass vaccine sites or whatever.

    Just vaccinate as many people as quickly as possible - it almost doesn't matter who they are at this point, I can guarantee taht if the NBA got 1000 doses they would have them all administered in a week or less.
     
    BigM and JumpMan like this.
  12. Reeko

    Reeko Member

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    Yes, I am, and we all know why that was. It was to try and gain some trust because it is severely lacking.
     
  13. Reeko

    Reeko Member

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    no worries bro
     
  14. Texanasiafan

    Texanasiafan Member

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    There is a much higher infection and mortality rate in the black and Hispanic groups during this pandemic.

    The reason is not because of they are mostly MAGA supporters that went to every Trump rallies without a mask.

    The simple reasons is because most of them are poor, living in a much worse environments, with less medical resources and also they need to work in the environments with low level jobs facing and touching people instead of wealthy white and Asians working from home facing a monitor.

    So using "fear of rejecting the vaccine due to historical factor for the black people" in order to cut the line is not only lamb, it is insulting to the black community.

    When the NBA was playing in the bubble last season, how many cases of tested positives and how many games were delayed?

    ZERO.

    So why suddenly we are having more games got postponed and many cases tested positive?

    Did those NBA players working in KFC now or helping the community schools to drive a bus?

    No, mostly because they were going to parties or strip clubs.

    And also ******* wealthy owners like Tilman tried to sell couple more tickets under this situation instead of playing in a bubble is another factor.

    So Silver using such lamb excuse to let them cut the line actually will hurt the real people that need these vaccines more - which ironically the black people.
     
  15. Major

    Major Member

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    Only way this makes sense to me is if you truly make this a PSA. Take the 500 or so players, scatter them at vaccination sites in minority communities around the country. Each player spends the day at the vaccination center doing socially-distant meet & greets with people coming to get vaccinated while also getting vaccinated themselves. Basically, make it a vaccination drive where people get to meet an NBA player if they come get vaccinated.
     
  16. plates300

    plates300 Member

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    No it’s not a PSA. As much as I love sports, this is what’s wrong with our society. NBA players should not get the vaccine ahead of other more vulnerable groups. You can’t tell me NBA and sports athletes are more important than our teachers...athletes get tested two even three times a day yet teachers and other people working high risk jobs can’t even get tested once. What a joke. Like I said, I love sports but during a pandemic, that’s the last priority.
     
  17. YOLO

    YOLO Member

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    if someone is actually trying to say they can't even get tested once, they're not even trying or flat out lying. its been incredibly easy to get tested for quite some time now
     

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