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Golden State Warriors Forward Andrew Wiggins received a COVID-19 vaccine despite his hesitance. He is now eligible to play in Warriors’ home games.
Wiggins’ Hesitance
Wiggins was hesitant to get the vaccine in the months since he was eligible, with his main reasons being concerns about possible long-term effects of the vaccine. He previously had a mild case of COVID-19, which lessened his concerns about getting COVID-19 again. Wiggins also held concerns about possible allergic reactions or of the vaccine possibly affecting his future children.
“I had COVID before,” Wiggins said. “It wasn’t too bad. Couple years ago, I had an allergic reaction to something. It was a scary moment.”
The San Francisco Department of Health mandates that anyone over the age of 12 must be vaccinated for COVID-19 in order to attend any indoor events. This made Wiggins ineligible to play in any of the Warriors’ home games. Wiggins applied to the NBA for a religious exemption to the vaccine, which the league turned down.
Wiggins’ Decision
Head coach Steve Kerr confirmed on Monday that Wiggins received the vaccine. The Warriors have now achieved 100% vaccination amongst their players and coaches.
“I felt like my only options were to get vaccinated or not play in the NBA,” Wiggins said. “It was a tough decision. Hopefully, it works out in the long run and in 10 years I’m still healthy.”
According to Wiggins, his reaction to the vaccine was a mild one, experiencing some minor aches and chills.
Team Response
The Warriors teammates expressed support for Wiggins and his decision to be vaccinated. Wiggins described it as “nothing but love.”
Steve Kerr declined to give more comments on vaccination after confirming Wiggins’ vaccination. He said it is now the end of the matter and there will be no further questions.
The San Francisco Department of Health placed a deadline for vaccination of Oct. 13. If Wiggins received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, then he is eligible to play in the Warriors’ home opener on Oct. 21 against the Clippers. As for games outside of San Francisco, Wiggins is expected to be playing. Wiggins played for 16 minutes in Monday’s preseason game against Portland, scoring 13 points.
