Ross County squad have all been vaccinated, confirms manager Malky Mackay
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
Ross County manager Malky Mackay has confirmed that everyone at the club has been double vaccinated.
Earlier in the season, the Staggies released a statement regarding their continued implementation of red zones at matches explaining that was, in part, because some of the younger members of the squad had not yet been jabbed.
Vaccination progress among footballers has been a hot topic across the UK recently, with the recent rise in Covid cases because of the omicron variant putting fixtures at all levels at renewed risk.
In England, top flight managers have voiced a range of opinions on whether there should be consequences for players who choose not to be vaccinated.
Overseas in Europe and the USA, players have found themselves being docked wages, left on the sidelines or at times even unable to travel into other countries to play because they have not been vaccinated.
Closer to home in Scotland, the likes of Livingston boss David Martindale has called for the season to be paused.
With the risk of testing positive for Covid so much higher now, Mackay was delighted to report Ross County’s squad have done their part.
“Thankfully, everyone at the club has been double vaccinated,” he said.
“The players decided, on their own will, to go and get that done. The next part is to get them all boosted. There’s a timeline for that, and some of them are only just allowed to because of their age.
“That being the case, they now all have a date where they can actively start to try and queue with everyone else to get the booster.
“We have got them all double jabbed now which is great. Now everyone at the club is looking to get the booster jab.”
That progress has also helped County logistically.
“There was a period when the two buses going down to the game were split between those with two jabs, and others who hadn’t yet,” Mackay explained.
“It’s that balance, that if somebody is out, how many others do they take out?
“It’s good they have their double jabs now, more for health reasons. It hopefully gives everyone a little more added protection.”
The Staggies were, of course, ransacked by Covid at the very start of Mackay’s tenure at the club back in early July.
Since then, it has been a gradual process of getting everybody back fit and firing, with results over the season so far steadily improving as a result.
Indeed, when Jake Vokins returned to action it left Mackay with a fully fit squad to pick from for the first time, something which forced him to make some difficult decisions.
“It’s a good problem, but it’s a problem – a couple of weeks ago I had guys that didn’t make the bench, so it’s fine lines,” Mackay stressed.
“People ask why they are not on the bench, and I can’t answer them. I know how disappointed people are sitting in the stand.
“Coll Donaldson has done that most of the season, and then has been surprised in recent weeks because he has been on the bench. That’s a reward for how well he has trained, which is testament to somebody’s character, that you don’t go poisonous. Plenty have.
“Only seven can be on the bench, but I’ve got another two or three champing at the bit as well.”
