Cardinals’ DeAndre Hopkins expresses concern about COVID-19 vaccine

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins expressed his concern with the COVID-19 vaccine on Twitter Thursday.

In a series of tweets, Hopkins presumably was reacting to the news the NFL released earlier in the day that a team would have to forfeit if a locker room had a COVID-19 outbreak among unvaccinated players.

Hopkins’ first tweet was deleted, indicating that he has not been vaccinated.

Never thought I would say this, But being put in a position to hurt my team because I don’t want to partake in the vaccine is making me question my future in the @Nfl

After deleting that, Hopkins tweeted shortly after:

Freedom?

— Deandre Hopkins (@DeAndreHopkins) July 22, 2021

Hopkins followed up on a tweet from Los Angeles Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey, with Hopkins adding that part of his hesitation is because his girlfriend’s brother got vaccinated and had side effects after.

… @jalenramsey My girlfriend brother in the military got the vaccine and had heart problems right after. When you stand for something they hate you! https://t.co/AQD3nBPod3

— Deandre Hopkins (@DeAndreHopkins) July 22, 2021

His last tweet was a reaction to someone supporting his stance, writing, “They love you one minute then hate you the next! Know thyself.”

After it was reported in mid-July that the Cardinals had under 50% of their roster vaccinated, that number was bumped over 50% the following day. The Associated Press reported on July 16 that roughly 73% of NFL players had been vaccinated.

Federally approved vaccines are widely available and highly effective in stopping the transmission of COVID-19, including the more contagious delta variant that accounts for most of the new cases in the U.S.

COVID-19 cases have been on the rise in Arizona and across the country. The state on Thursday had its fourth straight day with at least 1,000 cases reported.

Looking at cases from the specific day the tests were done via the Arizona Department of Health Services COVID-19 dashboard, the last time prior to July that a number reached 1,000 was March 1. With results continuing to come in from more recent days, Arizona now has had at least 1,000 positive cases daily from July 12-16.

Hospitalizations related to COVID-19, meanwhile, have been going up, with unvaccinated people accounting for almost all of the serious illnesses, according to health officials. The number of confirmed or suspected COVID-19 inpatients in the state’s hospitals increased by 27 overnight to 868 on Wednesday, the most since March 10. The number of ICU beds used by COVID-19 patients went up by 14 to 237, the most since March 12.

The percent positivity for diagnostic testing conducted last week was 12% as of Thursday’s update, the highest since early February. It was up to 13% so far for this week’s reports.

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