Wigmen, Vipers and Isou receive jab

**Port Moresby Vipers winger and former SP Hunter Shane Nigel receiving the jab.**

By ROBINSON LEKA and PARKER TAMBUA
THREE Port Moresby-based Digicel Cup franchises – Vipers, Hela Wigmen and Gulf Isou – received their Covid-19 vaccinations yesterday, ahead of Saturday’s 2021 season kick-off.
Their players, officials and executives received the vaccination at the Rita Flynn Netball Courts, with Vipers chairman Dr Newton Albert leading the way as the first person from the three clubs to receive the jab.
He said it was important that players received the vaccine as it was a step forward in getting the game back on track amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
“I want to encourage other Digicel Cup teams and Papua New Guineans that we’ve come on board to receive the jab. We are now in the clear.
“By background, I’m a medical doctor and the greater good is now very important because we don’t want to experience what India is going through now.”

“ Let’s not forget that we are a testament of the vaccines for other sicknesses that had been introduced many years ago.”

**Hela Wigmen’s Junior Oki receiving his Covid-19 jab.**

According to BBC, India’s second Covid-19 wave is sweeping the country, overwhelming hospitals and highlighting its fragile healthcare provision.
“A good number of Papua New Guineans have got vaccinated already, so let’s not buy into sceptics or cheap criticisms from unknown people who are not qualified or from unknown backgrounds,” Albert said.
“We don’t know what sort of intentions they have.
“Instead, we should trust proven medical science and who else better than the World Health Organisation, the same people we’ve been relying on for all our medicines and vaccines.”
He said rumours surrounding the side effects of the vaccine had little or almost no impact on the wellbeing of the people receiving it and that if there was a negative reaction, it would be minimal.

**Hela Wigmen chairman Andy Hetra leading the way as he was first person from the club to get the jab.**

A total of 38 Vipers personnel – 28 players and 10 officials – received the AstraZeneca jab.
Albert said he was proud of his players for showing the courage to receive the jab amid confusion over the vaccine.
“The team were sceptical and not sure whether to take the vaccine,” Albert said.
“But I had to talk to them. One of the issue that they had raised was whether the vaccine had long-term side effects.
“I told them that if WHO knew that the vaccine was going to have a long-term effect on us then they wouldn’t have recommended for it to be on the market.
“Whether there’ll be a long term effect or not, we do not know and we should not assume.

**Port Moresby Vipers chairman Dr Newton Albert receiving his jab of the Covid-19 vaccine.**

“We have to take the risk for the benefit of ongoing medical science for discovery and innovation.
“Let’s not forget that we are a testament of the vaccines for other sicknesses that had been introduced many years ago.
“Our people in the past took that risk to be vaccinated that’s why we are enjoying the finished product of the vaccine today.
“We are in the same scenario today with Covid-19. Let’s not be selfish. Let us think of the future and if we take risks now, the generations to come will benefit from it.
“So I am very happy that the Vipers have come on board and the players themselves are very happy that they have been vaccinated.”
Albert also encouraged the public to get vaccinated.