A nearly fully vaccinated football team is having its game postponed because of positive COVID-19 tests, showing just how ridiculous COVID-19 restrictions in sports have become.
The University of California, Berkeley has had its game against the University of Southern California postponed because of an outbreak of COVID-19 cases among its players. But Cal has a 99% vaccination rate, and USC had 90% of its team vaccinated as of July. Somehow, this means that the game must be canceled for the safety of the players.
This comes after Cal was forced to play against the University of Arizona without 24 players, which helped Arizona end a 20-game losing streak. What’s more, Cal players said they were told voluntary testing was mandatory and that they were told they “could be arrested for refusing to test as vaccinated individuals with no symptoms.”
UHS told us we could be arrested for refusing to test as vaccinated individuals with no symptoms. If I understand correctly, I can go to San Francisco, steal a bunch of items in a Walgreens, and not be arrested. However, if I refuse a test in Berkeley, I can be… https://t.co/dfCiELikMi
— Luc Bequette (@LucBequette) November 9, 2021
This is a precursor to permanent COVID-19 restrictions. Unvaccinated college football players, who are between the ages of 18-23, were already at an incredibly low risk from serious bouts of COVID-19. Vaccinated 18- to 23-year-old football players are at a near nonexistent risk from COVID-19, yet Cal was forced to play a game shorthanded while the rest of its season is thrown into flux.
These kinds of restrictions are not just going to ruin Cal’s season. They are going to continue to hang over sports and other aspects of our lives until people in power are forced to let go of COVID-19 hysteria, particularly in schools. There is no reason that fully vaccinated college athletes should be forced to miss games and team activities, yet there is no end in sight for these overreactions.
