Did NC State baseball players have time to get fully vaccinated as shots rolled out?
After the abrupt ending of N.C. State’s baseball season on Saturday due to NCAA COVID-19 protocols, some were arguing that the Wolfpack’s players should have been vaccinated prior to the NCAA tournament and College World Series.
The Wolfpack needed one win to reach the CWS final round when the NCAA announced at 2 a.m. Saturday that N.C. State’s upcoming game against Vanderbilt was called a no contest due to COVID-19. N.C. State lost to Vanderbilt Friday after playing with 13 players, including 4 pitchers, due to positive COVID tests within the Wolfpack program and NCAA protocols. N.C. State was eliminated from the CWS and the Commodores advanced to the finals.
In a statement released by the school late Saturday, athletic director Boo Corrigan, though, said some players chose to wait until the conclusion of the season to receive the vaccine. He also stated N.C. State, a public university, could not force students, including athletes, to get a vaccine.
“Vaccination for our students is a personal decision,” Corrigan wrote. “The university cannot require vaccines for our students, including our student athletes. Since vaccines were not available until after the start of the season, some of our players decided to wait until the completion of the season in case of side effects. We respect their rights to make personal healthcare decisions.”
Dr. Mandy Cohen, director of the state’s Department of Health and Human Services, said in a March 26 video the department circulated on social media that some side effects, none major, were to be expected.
“There are some side effects,” Cohen said. “Some are feeling some soreness on their arm. Some are feeling a little crummy or tired for about 24 hours. But we’re not hearing of any major side effects, which is terrific.”
The Wolfpack’s baseball season began on Feb. 19 against VMI. Was there enough time for players to be fully vaccinated before the start of the College World Series?
Timeline of Wolfpack’s schedule vs. vaccine rollout
The three available vaccine options — Moderna, Pfizer, and Johnson & Johnson — take different amounts of time to reach full efficacy. The Moderna and Pfizer vaccines require two doses, with Modera requiring 28 days between shots and 21 for Pfizer. Both reach full effectiveness two weeks after the second dose. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine requires one shot, and full efficacy is reached after two weeks.
Earlier this year, state health officials rolled out a vaccine distribution schedule. Most college students were part of Group 4, with eligibility to receive the vaccine beginning on April 7.
On April 2, N.C. State put out a statement informing students that they could register for appointments to receive the Johnson & Johnson vaccines.
As of April 7, N.C. State baseball had already played 29 games, meaning it’s possible most or all players were not vaccinated for about the first half of the season.
N.C. State traveled to Newton, Massachusetts to face Boston College in a three-day series beginning April 9, with its next home game taking place on April 14 against North Carolina A&T. If a player received a Johnson & Johnson vaccine the day before, on April 13, that player would have been considered fully vaccinated on April 27.
If a player received a Pfizer vaccine on April 13, that player could have received a second shot on May 4 and been considered fully vaccinated on May 18. If a player received a Moderna vaccine on April 13, the second dose would have been due on May 11. From there, that person could have been fully vaccinated on May 25.
NC State in NCAA playoffs, College World Series
The Wolfpack’s final regular-season game was May 22 at home against Florida State. N.C. State then played in the ACC tournament and made it to the championship game, which took place on May 30.
The team began the NCAA regional on June 4 in Ruston, Louisiana. From there, the Wolfpack traveled to Fayetteville, Arkansas for the NCAA Division I Baseball Championships, and then to Omaha, Nebraska for the College World Series, which began on June 19.
Corrigan in his statement on Saturday added that some players who were vaccinated still tested positive. The statement did not specify if those athletes were fully vaccinated.
“We have confirmed that a number of our players who tested positive had previously been vaccinated,” Corrigan wrote. “While rare, we know that breakthrough infections are possible for individuals who have been vaccinated. Fortunately, those who have been vaccinated and still get COVID are at much less risk for serious illness.”
Last week’s COVID issues were not the first for N.C. State baseball this season. In March, N.C. State’s series against Duke was canceled due to coronavirus issues within the Wolfpack’s program. The vaccine was not available to college students at that time.
This story was originally published June 28, 2021 at 3:18 PM with the headline "Did NC State baseball players have time to get fully vaccinated as shots rolled out?."
