Portsmouth boss Danny Cowley reveals efforts to ensure Blues players are fully vaccinated

It comes after the EFL’s latest COVID-19 announcement stated that only 59 per cent of players within its three divisions are double vaccinated.

Meanwhile, 25 per cent of players do not currently intend to get a jab.

Cowley believes the club’s rate of fully-vaccinated players is higher than the league average.

But he admitted there is still work to be done as the government continues to roll out it’s booster programme – with schooling at the forefront of that effort.

As clubs reel from multiple positive tests, calls are mounting for a pause in the season.

There have already been postponements in League One ahead of this weekend’s round of games, with fixtures at Sheffield Wednesday, Gillingham and Burton to be played at a later date.

Yet the Blues remain hopeful their clash with AFC Wimbledon will still go ahead, despite confirmed cases within the club.

Speaking to The News, Cowley said: ‘We would certainly, strongly recommend all of our players to have their vaccination.

‘We’ve been working really hard with them to try to get to a place where they can all be in a position where they are double vaccinated.

‘First and foremost for their health and for the health of the people that work and live with them every day.

‘I'm absolutely respectful that the ultimate decision is with the individual.

‘But for us it's to provide them with the necessary education to make informed and intelligent decisions.’

Cowley added misinformation surrounding the vaccine might be deterring players from receiving it.

He continued: ‘Unfortunately, young people and all of us find it hard to decide who to believe and what to believe, because you can read so many inaccuracies from both the media and from politicians.

‘We’ve had conversations with some of ours that have spoken about the possibility of being infertile if they were to have a vaccination, and we know that this is so far from the truth.

‘When people read something they can often believe it and it’s for us to try to guide the players to read what is true.

‘We’re lucky to have a brilliant doctor here who provides us with really good information which we’re then able to disseminate back to the players.

‘And hopefully they trust the information that we’re given them.’

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