(Reuters) – Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp likened refusal to take the COVID-19 vaccine to drink-driving, saying such people endanger others.
Klopp said he took the vaccine to protect not just himself but “all the people around me”. The 54-year-old also said that 99% of his Liverpool players are vaccinated and that he did not have to convince anyone to do so.
British media reported last week that only seven of the 20 Premier League clubs have squads where more than 50% of players are vaccinated.
“If I say I am vaccinated, other people say: ‘How can you tell me I should be vaccinated?’ It is a little bit like drink-driving,” Klopp said ahead of Sunday’s home game with Manchester City.
“We all probably were in a situation where we had a beer or two and thought we still could drive but (because of) the law, we are not allowed to drive so we don’t drive.
“But this law is not there for protecting me when I drink two beers and want to drive, it’s for protecting all the other people because I’m drunk and we accept that as a law.”
Klopp said vaccination is not a limit on freedom.
“I don’t understand why that is a limitation of freedom because, if it is, then not being allowed to drink and drive is a limitation of freedom as well,” he said.
“I got the vaccination because I was concerned about myself but even more so about everybody around me. If I get (COVID-19) and I suffer from it: my fault. If I get it and spread it to someone else: my fault and not their fault.”
(Reporting by Manasi Pathak in Bengaluru; Editing by William Mallard)
