Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has been one of the most outspoken figures in football in regards to the Covid-19 vaccine, and he has again brought up the subject in his programme notes ahead of their clash with Newcastle
The surge in new cases due to the Omicron variant, is piling pressure on players to get their jabs if they haven’t already done so, with five Premier League matches called off to date.
Klopp spoke passionately on the matter in his pre-match press conference in which he confirmed everyone at the club is vaccinated.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has again spoken passionately on Covid-19 vaccines
He has urged supporters to ‘ignore lies and misinformation’ about the jab and ‘trust experts’
Writing in the LFC match-day programme, Klopp has insisted he won’t apologise for his views, ‘no matter how unpopular’ that might make him.
He said: ‘My message around this has always been simple and clear, I hope: I trust experts. I follow the advice of smart, educated people who know their field because they’ve dedicated their lives to it and have studied it.
‘We are clearly moving back to stricter measures around the team environment and at LFC we are absolutely OK with that.
‘As I have spoken about before, we have a very high take-up of the vaccine at our club and have done for a long time. It might be 100 per cent now or as close as is possible, so that’s important.
Klopp on Wednesday stated that everyone at Liverpool is vaccinated for ‘loyalty, solidarity and togetherness’
‘I have no issue telling you I received my booster jab as soon as I was eligible and again that will be the case for many if not nearly all within our ranks in the coming days and weeks.
‘I won’t apologise for the view I hold on the vaccination, no matter how unpopular it might make me in certain sections of society. I’m the same privately as I am publicly on this.
In his notes, he also urged people to ‘ignore lies and misinformation’ and trust experts.
He said: ‘Ignore those who pretend to know. Ignore lies and misinformation. Listen to people who know best. If you do that, you end up wanting the vaccine and the booster.
‘The ‘stick to football’ abuse so misses the point. Yes, I know about football having spent my entire life in the game. And my view on the vaccination isn’t from my own imagination.
‘That’s the point – I listen to experts. People who are smarter than I ever could be have come to the rescue of society by creating this for the world.
‘We are very blessed in this country and throughout Europe to have such incredible access to it. I see that as a privilege and one I will always be grateful for.
Klopp wrote on the matter of vaccines in his pre-match notes ahead of the clash with Newcastle
‘We don’t know what impact the new variant will have on football in the short or medium term.
‘It will certainly impact player availability as positive cases arise and might result in fixtures being postponed sporadically, but that is for the governing bodies to manage.
‘Clearly we hope disruption is minimal, but that’s not in our hands and nor should it be. Again, we must trust those who know best, those with the knowledge. We just want as many people as possible to be safe. Health has to be the priority always. Health of participants, staff and supporters.’
During his pre-match press conference, Klopp said the vaccine was a question of ‘solidarity, loyalty and togetherness’.
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Clubs are concerned about the stuttering rollout of vaccinations, which has left the majority of players facing a lengthy wait to provide protection against Omicron – with studies showing that two jabs offer little immunity in comparison.
Sportsmail has previously reported that Wolves are the only top-flight side set to meet Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s target of boosting all over-18s by the end of the month. However, Leeds and Brentford are also understood to be well advanced.
There is pressure on players to get jabbed with Covid-19 cases again surging in the UK
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation are insisting on a three-month gap between second and third vaccines does.
The latest vaccine data in the Premier League is a secret, but the information published on October 19 showed 68 per cent of players were fully vaccinated.
Almost a third, therefore, will have to wait until late January to get boosted.
Tottenham’s clash with Leicester, which was scheduled for Thursday evening, has been postponed which is the third game in a row to be called off for Antonio Conte’s side.
Manchester United’s match against Brighton on Saturday has also been postponed.
