Warriors' Andrew Wiggins can't play home games without vaccine, says SF Dept. of Public Health

[Auggie]

Golden State Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins — who is reportedly unvaccinated against COVID-19 — will not be permitted to play in home games at San Francisco's Chase Center unless he is vaccinated soon.

In a statement to SFGATE on Friday, the San Francisco Department of Public Health said that Wiggins would not be able to claim a religious or medical exemption as a response to the city's policy for large indoor events.

SNIP

The department had previously stated it would not comment on Wiggins' situation unless he received a religious exemption from the NBA. The San Francisco Chronicle reported that those around the league believe the NBA would grant him such an exemption. (The San Francisco Chronicle and SFGATE are owned by the same parent company, Hearst, but operate independently of one another.)

The religious exemption conversation appears to be moot now, as the city will not allow Wiggins to enter Chase Center for games "regardless of the reason [he is] unvaccinated."

https://www.sfgate.com/warriors/article/Andrew-Wiggins-vaccine-home-games-NBA-Chase-Center-16485633.php

Bruce Jenkins, San Francisco Chronicle (opinion):

Wiggins’ reputation is in tatters. It’s a major story in NBA circles and the cause of grave disappointment among his teammates, already dealing with the fact that Klay Thompson and James Wiseman won’t be fully recovered from their respective surgeries to start the season on time.

The bitter truth: Wiggins will not be able to play in any home games at Chase Center, due to San Francisco’s updated policy for large indoor gatherings, if he hasn’t been fully vaccinated. He would lose huge chunks of his salary. And if he’d bother to check with unvaccinated NFL players, he’d learn about a rather sad existence of physical separation, relentless testing, at least five days of quarantine following contact with a positive-tested individual, resentment from angry teammates and a retreat into solitude — hotel confinement, prohibited from eating at restaurants, unable to spend time with friends and family — on the road.

All this because you don’t believe in the power of vaccination, preventing or reducing infections on a massive nationwide scale? You just cast aside the fact that more than 700,000 Americans have died from the coronavirus? You don’t understand how your reluctance puts other people at risk? You can’t grasp the fact that widespread vaccination rejection prolongs the pandemic, with no end in sight?

If Wiggins truly is one of these people, unrelenting in his stance, the Warriors will have no choice but to trade him. That’s if any other team is interested — most likely not. Choose wisely, young man, or find yourself an outcast.

(paywall): https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/jenkins/article/Wiggins-anti-vax-stance-hurts-himself-and-the-16485900.php

Adding Jenkins' comment because he says it better than I can.

[orwell]

1. This isn't over...

...the Players Association will file a lawsuit over this.

Wiggins is an idiot.

[Auggie]

3. The NBA denied religious exemption too, BTW. But thanks for mentioning the NBPA ...

(National Basketball Players Association):

The NBA has struck agreements this offseason to have virtually all parties involved in games — referees, coaches, stat-crew workers and anyone else who will be in close proximity to players on or off the court in NBA arenas — vaccinated in order to participate.

The one exception: The players themselves, with the National Basketball Players Association rebuking all efforts from the NBA to mandate that they be vaccinated. About 85% of players were vaccinated at the end of last season. The leaguewide figure is believed to have increased since.

https://www.nba.com/news/nba-denies-wiggins-request-for-religious-exemption-from-covid-19-vaccination

The Players Association are idiots too

[orwell]

4. This has been the talk of sports talk radio around here...

...most think the Players Association will try to drag this out.

Up to this point Wiggins was generally liked and considered a nice addition to the Warriors. He comports himself well in public and has been an asset to the team both on and off the court. Most Warriors fans are genuinely surprised by this.

He didn't come off as a loon anti-vaxer.

[Auggie]

5. Wiggins should talk to Myles Garrett of the Cleveland Browns

Garrett, defensive end, caught COVID during football season last year, recovered, but reported it took months to restore his breathing.

That should be a major concern for a NBA player.

Nick Bosa of the 49ers finally got vaccinated mid-August, BTW.

Yeah, Wiggins has been invaluable to Golden State.

Bay Area resident here, orwell.

[Mosby]

6. The SF policy is legal.

Why would they exempt a players union?

[Bleacher Creature]

2. Good call, but it's still absurd that visiting players are exempt.

The local governments in NYC and SF need to apply the vaccination requirement to everyone in the building. Full stop. It also would bring the NBA a lot closer to 100% compliance if every unvaccinated player had to sit out every game against the Knicks, Nets, and Warriors.