Greg Sankey, SEC pushing for vaccinations

A year ago, SEC commissioner Greg Sankey issued a statement that the conference would continue to try to play a season amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. The SEC accomplished that, sifting its way through COVID-19 protocols and cancelations, eventually seeing league powerhouse Alabama crowned national champions.

With college football set to return in under a month, Greg Sankey released a Twitter thread Tuesday urging the public — especially those in the SEC footprint — to get vaccinated. His latest announcement comes as the Delta variant tears across the United States and hospitalization rates are rising.

“We have learned to manage through this environment, but we do not have control of the COVID realities around us,” Sankey wrote. “COVID rates are at the highest we have seen in months, hospitalization rates continue to increase and the Delta variant is real.”

How is the SEC approaching vaccinations

The SEC has been very upfront that it supports widespread vaccination efforts. Sankey has said on the record that the conference will not mandate vaccinations, but the SEC’s medical task force recommends that student-athletes get vaccinated.

Institutions are providing vaccination education and conference policies make it easier for a vaccinated athlete to stay on the field. Vanderbilt, a private school, is the only school in the SEC requiring all athletes receive vaccinations.

The NCAA unveiled its COVID-19 protocols for the fall last week. During competition season, vaccinated athletes will not be tested unless symptomatic or if a risk assessment shows the athlete has been in close contact with COVID-19.

Unvaccinated players will have to take a PCR test at least once a week during the season and another PCR test within three days of competition that same week.

COVID-19 cases in the conference footprint

While several SEC football teams are trending in a strong direction with vaccination rates — six of 14 are at least at 80% — their communities are not. With the Delta variant on the rise and low vaccination numbers in the SEC footprint, experts are concerned game days could become super spreader events.

In the U.S., 99.5% of deaths are among the unvaccinated, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Alabama (43.7%), Mississippi (44.7%), Arkansas (47%), Louisiana (47.7%), Georgia (49%) and Tennessee (49.2%) make up six of the 10 worst states in America in vaccination rate per the New York Times. All six are in the SEC footprint.

Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas and Alabama rank in the top-five in the nation in cases per 100,000 people.

“In preparation for the season ahead, the vaccination rates among SEC teams are well above rates for the general population,” Sankey said Tuesday. “Our teams are leading and have asked questions, heard directly from medical experts and accessed the COVID vaccine throughout the spring and summer.

“We know nothing is perfect, but the availability & efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines is an incredible product of science, not a political football & we all need to do our part to support a healthy society.”