If a coronavirus vaccination hits the market in the near future, Novak Djokovic might not be the first in line to receive it. The Serbian tennis player admitted that he isn’t in support of obtaining a COVID-19 vaccine if one were created.
“Personally, I am opposed to vaccination and I wouldn’t want to be forced by someone to take a vaccine in order to be able to travel,” Djokovic, 32, shared in a Facebook live chat with other Serbian athletes on Sunday, April 19. “But if it becomes compulsory, what will happen? I will have to make a decision.”
The athlete, who shares son Stefan, 5, and daughter Tara, 2, with wife Jelena Djokovic, continued, “I have my own thoughts about the matter, and whether those thoughts will change at some point, I don’t know. Hypothetically, if the season was to resume in July, August or September, though unlikely, I understand that a vaccine will become a requirement straight after we are out of strict quarantine, and there is no vaccine yet.”
Coronavirus, which originated in China this past December, has claimed more than 165,000 lives as the total of confirmed cases has surpassed 2 million. However, over 632,000 affected individuals have recovered, such as high-profile figures including Tom Hanks, Pink, Sara Bareilles and Game of Thrones alum Kristofer Hivju.
Earlier this month, Teen Mom star Kailyn Lowry responded to a fan’s question about whether she would give her kids the coronavirus vaccine if one became available, to which she tweeted “absolutely not.” When another commenter noted that many people have died from the disease, she replied: “Understood. I know people as well. That’s why I’m staying home.”
M.I.A. also expressed her opposition to vaccination in the midst of the global outbreak. “If I have to choose the vaccine or chip I’m gonna choose death – YALA,” the “Paper Planes” rapper tweeted on March 25.
M.I.A. was called out by a fan for being an “anti-vaxxer,” but the English star opened up about how challenging it was for her to have her 11-year-old son, Ikhyd Edgar Arular Bronfman, vaccinated for school.
“To not have [a] choice over this as a mother. I never wanna feel that again,” she explained. “He was so sick for 3 weeks then Docs had to pump him with antibiotics to reduce the fever from 3 vaxins. … Have a healthy life. Don’t live in fear!”
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