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Orlando Magic forward Jonathan Isaac spoke on “Fox News @ Night” Monday about how he found himself somewhat reluctantly amid the debate over the country’s COVID-19 vaccine.
Isaac, who has had COVID-19, said he was not “anti-vax” and made it clear he had “the utmost respect for every healthcare worker” facing the pandemic. His position is that vaccines should be the choice of the individual without the risk of social stigma.
Isaac’s supporters say his position is reasonable and well-argued, while detractors refer to the Centers for Disease Control guidelines recommending vaccines for anyone 12 years of age and older.
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The 23-year-old told Shannon Bream he voiced his opinion because he believes the United States is heading towards a precedent that freedom is negotiable in times of difficulty.
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FL – JULY 31: Jonathan Isaac # 1 of the Orlando Magic stands as others kneel before the start of a game between the Brooklyn Nets and the Orlando Magic on July 31, 2020 at HP Field House at ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Ashley Landis – Pool / Getty Images)
(Photo by Ashley Landis – Pool / Getty Images)
“I believe what I am saying is rational,” he said. “And it’s free… We live in the land of the free and the home of the brave and we have the opportunity and the platform to say what we think is right. I take this right to do it, not just to me, but for all those people who feel like they don’t have a voice. “
Bream highlighted NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, recently calling on players who refuse the vaccine for putting their teammates and opponents at increased risk of infection.
Isaac responded to criticism by questioning the effectiveness of vaccines and the high survival rate in healthy individuals. He said he did not want to minimize the impact of the virus on the lives of many people, but believes that freedoms should not be sacrificed.
Bream noted that recent studies show that the Pfizer vaccine, for example, was 90% effective in preventing hospitalizations and deaths against the Delta variant within six months of receiving the second vaccine, and decreases with increasing frequency. time.
The NBA season arrived on Monday with media days leading up to training camp, with the ongoing pandemic being as much if not more of a topic than basketball. This will be the third season affected at least in part by the pandemic, certainly not the last, and some teams have revealed that their rosters are 100% vaccinated at the start of the season.
Players who are vaccinated will not be tested often; unvaccinated players will be tested on all training and travel days, and at least once on match days.
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League-wide, the vaccination rate would be around 90% and climb.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
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