Sports medico expert Dr Peter Larkins says AFL players shouldn’t skip queue for COVID-19 vaccine

A top footy doctor has voiced his opinion on AFL players getting preferential vaccine treatment. What do you think? Cast your vote.

AFL players should not expect to jump the queue for an early COVID-19 vaccine, according to sports medico expert Dr Peter Larkins.

Debate has raged whether elite sports people should have access to a priority dose with the Australian cricket team and the NRL both putting their hands up for an early jab.

The cricketers have asked to be vaccinated before they embark on a tour to South Africa from February 24 in the belief it was “high likely” members of the party would otherwise contract coronavirus.

But the AFL has not sought special approval and has said it will await instructions from the Federal Government.

With the AFL season almost seven weeks away, Larkins said it was extremely unlikely players would receive their shots before Round 1 in mid-March.

AFL players shouldn't be allowed to jump the queue for a COVID vaccine, according to doctor Peter Larkins.

He said AFL players did not require any preferential treatment.

“Having the two doses over three weeks you’ve got a 90 per cent chance you’ll be protected (against COVID-19) so it makes very good sense for people to get it,” Larkins said.

“But in terms of something that is going to be rolled out (for the players) prior to Round 1 – I just can’t see it happening.

“There are too many people ahead of them on the list.”

The AFLPA has indicated it is yet to discuss the issue of when or how players are to get jabs for the COVID-19 vaccine.

The vaccine rollout is scheduled to start next month after the Pfizer vaccine was on Monday approved for use in Australia.

Almost 700,000 Australians will be covered by the first phase of vaccine distribution, including aged care residents and staff, quarantine and border officials, and frontline health workers.

It means the AFL cohort may have to wait several more months when the balance of the Australian population aged between 18-50 receive their doses, unless they are officially categorised as “critical” or “high risk” workers.

Larkins said, if anything, AFL players may be considered lower risk because of the amount of education and training they have received around hygiene protocols in their hubs last year.

“After the hub experience they should be incredibly well-trained about all the hygiene issues, so they should be a pretty well-protected group,” Larkins said.

“They wouldn’t be considered higher risk, and similarly with the NRL, I think they would be in the community (vaccination) list or even a lower priority.

“I don’t mean that to be anti-AFL, but there are just people who are more exposed and should get the vaccine ahead of time because I don’t trust them as much as I trust the AFL player to be hygienic.”

Clubs would also need thousands of vaccinations for support staff, coaches, administration workers and executives at the same time if they were also in regular contact with the players.

The biggest area of concern would be team’s domestic travel requirements, but players would be expected to fly separately from the general public.

Dr Peter Larkins.

The AFL has already revamped the pre-season competition to reduce the amount of interstate travel required before the regular season kicks off on March 18.

Asked whether AFL players and other athletes could be prioritised in the vaccine rollout, a spokesman for Health Minister Greg Hunt said: “Any application for critical service designation would be a matter for the medical expert panel.”

The panel has identified three key priority groups for the rollout: those at increased risk of exposure to the virus, those who have an increased risk of developing severe disease from COVID-19, and those working in “services critical to societal functioning”.

Victorian sports minister Martin Pakula said he had not discussed an early vaccination plan with the AFL.

“They certainly haven’t requested it of me,” Pakula said.

“If they were going to have that conversation with anyone I imagine it would be with the Commonwealth.”

Originally published as Sports medico expert Dr Peter Larkins says AFL players shouldn’t skip queue for COVID-19 vaccine