Hockey players get first jab of COVID-19 vaccines

New Delhi, April 29

The Olympic-bound Indian men and women’s hockey team players got the first jab of COVID-19 vaccines on Thursday. The players are currently training at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) centre in Bengaluru.

“Players from other disciplines like athletics too are getting COVID-19 vaccines in Bengaluru. Even coaches associated with the national camp got the first jab last week,” a SAI official told IANS.

There has been concern about vaccines for players and coaching staff who are gearing up for the Tokyo Olympic starting July 23.

Officially, neither the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) nor the Sports Ministry have made any announcement about the date and timing of the COVID-19 vaccination.

Last weekend, seven women hockey players including skipper Rani Rampal tested positive for COVID-19 upon re-joining the national camp in Bengaluru.

“All the players and support staff are asymptomatic. They have been isolated and kept under observation,” SAI said in a statement.

The men’s rowing and recurve archery teams including women training at Army’s Sports Institute in Pune recently got a second dose of Covid-19 vaccines.

The government’s recent order says COVID-19 vaccines will be available to all those above 18 years from May 1. IANS