Vaccination vital: Esorom

The National Sports
Dr Daoni Esorom

SPORTS should consider vaccination as a requirement for their competitions, says Deputy National Pandemic Response Controller Dr Daoni Esorom.
He said sports affiliated under the Papua New Guinea Sports Foundation (PNGSF) must consider the vaccination of sportsmen and women, and administrators to safeguard the competitions.
Esorom said sporting activities were high-risk events where Covid-19 could spread if preventive measures were not adopted at the early stages of the competitions.
“It’s important for every sport to comply with their respective Covid-19 protocols and most importantly consider vaccination among all competitors to protect the competition and its administrators,” he said.
Esorom said there were important criteria for all sports to meet in order for the competition to begin. These include:

  • A letter of request to the controller, requesting for the competition to start;
  • Each sport to have their own Covid-19 protocols which are to be submitted together with the letter of request;
  • No spectators be allowed for at least two months until further notice; and,
  • Although vaccination is not mandatory, every sports should consider vaccination to protect sportsmen and women, and its administrators.

To date, out of the 16 sports which have been given approval, only rugby league and cricket have taken steps to ensure its sportsmen and women are vaccinated.
“We are using the national rugby league competition as a template for the other sports to follow to ensure that all the national and local sports have Covid-19 protocols and to ensure their players and administrators are vaccinated,” Esorom said
Commending rugby league and cricket, he said the challenge now was to ensure Covid-19 protocols were strictly adhered to.