プレミア選手のワクチン接種率は約７割　リーグ発表

【ロンドンＡＦＰ＝時事】イングランド・プレミアリーグは１９日、新型コロナウイルスのワクチンを打つことに対して選手の間でためらう動きがあると批判される中、全選手のうち６８パーセントが完全に接種を終えたと明かした。（写真は資料写真）
　今月初めの報道では、過半数の選手が接種を終えたのは全２０クラブのうちわずか７クラブであると示唆されていた。
　政府の最新の統計によれば、英国における新型コロナによる死者数は約１３万９０００人と世界最悪に近いものの、１２歳以上の７９パーセントが２回の接種を終えているという。
　こうした接種率の急増によって大規模イベントは規制緩和が可能となり、プレミアリーグは観客を入れて新シーズンを迎えることができた。
　リーグ側は発表文の中で「８１パーセントの選手が新型コロナウイルス感染症（ＣＯＶＩＤ－１９）のワクチンを少なくとも１回は接種し、６８パーセントが２回の接種を終えていると本日確認している」と記した。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2021/10/21-12:52）

Sixty-eight percent of Premier League players have been fully vaccinated against coronavirus, the English top flight confirmed on Tuesday following criticism of hesitancy among footballers.
Reports earlier this month suggested only seven of England's 20 top-flight clubs had more than 50 percent of their squads fully vaccinated.
Britain has one of the highest overall Covid-19 death tolls in the world, at nearly 139,000, but 79 percent of over-12s have had two doses of the vaccine, according to the latest government figures.
The rapid rollout has enabled the easing of restrictions on large gatherings, allowing the Premier League to start the season with capacity crowds.
The Premier League can confirm today that 81 percent of players have received at least one Covid-19 vaccination dose, with 68 percent now fully vaccinated, the league said in a statement.
Vaccination rates are collected by the Premier League on a weekly basis and the league continues to work with clubs to encourage vaccination among players and club staff.
Incentives had been discussed as an option by clubs to get more players to come forward to have the jab, including a potential relaxing of stringent coronavirus protocols.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has been one of the harshest critics of those refusing to get vaccinated.
The German compared not taking the jab to drink-driving for putting other people's health at risk.