The Chicago Bulls players were poked! No, not like that weird old Facebook thing, but poked with the COVID-19 vaccine.
According to The Athletic, “nearly a dozen” Bulls players received their first dose of the Pfizer vaccine prior to the team’s journey to Indianapolis for last night’s matchup with the Pacers. The team is currently on their longest road trip of the season, which consists of five games.
The organization provided a statement to The Athletic, confirming they worked with the City of Chicago and Rush University Medical Center to administer the vaccines. They also shared that they look forward to working with both groups to help “support an upcoming vaccine advocacy campaign.”
For a full look at the full statement, make sure to head over to The Athletic.
Before embarking on a season-long, five-game road trip, Chicago Bulls players received the COVID-19 vaccine, sources told The Athletic. https://t.co/LNakKQWyOa
— Darnell Mayberry (@DarnellMayberry) April 7, 2021
The Bulls have been no stranger to dealing with the scares and inconveniences of the virus. Tomas Satoransky, Lauri Markkanen, Garrett Temple, and Ryan Arcidiacono all missed time this season due to either a positive test or contact tracing procedures. Chandler Hutchison and Noah Vonleh, who are no longer with the team, also suffered similar setbacks. And, just the other day, Coby White missed the Bulls matchup with the Nets due to a testing mishap. Obviously, these vaccines don’t mean the organization is free of suffering potential future problems, but it does seem like it should greatly reduce the possibility.
Also, those players who received the vaccine are now one step closer to taking advantage of the league’s more relaxed protocols. ESPN reported back in March that fully vaccinated individuals will be able to have people visit normally, dine at restaurants, and have less strict testing procedures. For more on all of that, head here.