More than three weeks after being the host of a virtual meeting of the T&T Football Association members to pursue vaccines for its members, Keiron Edwards, the General Manager of La Horquetta Rangers, is claiming his club is fully vaccinated.
Edwards in a release on July 22 said: "I Kieron Edwards, Terminix La Horquetta Rangers General Manager, would like to confirm that all players, coaches and ground staff of the team has either been fully vaccinated or have received their first dose of vaccination. This totals over 40 individuals that have taken their jab. Terminix La Horquetta Rangers is the first professional club where all persons have taken heed to the Prime Minister’s statement of ‘vaccinate to operate’"
It was only on July 6 that Edwards hosted a meeting at which he convinced the majority of the football membership to collectively encourage its members to avail themselves of the COVID-19 vaccines in order to restart football in the communities and in the country.
Following the meeting, Edwards said: "TTFA Member-Stakeholders consider the restart of football of all Leagues and Competitions in the country to be essential, with the full vaccination of footballers, coaches, technical staff, referees, and other related personnel, and would welcome working directly with the Ministry of Health to facilitate this exercise in the earliest possible timeframe.
The envisaged immunization would have all Members of our football fraternity visit the venues of the Ministry of Health to facilitate the exercise, similar to what has been done for the Chamber of Commerce, the TTMA, the Supermarket Association and other such entities."
The full vaccination of football members will also clear the way for the staging of the Ascension Invitational Football League which will cater for action among the Women's Football League (WoLF), T&T Pro League and Super League, the Regional Associations- Eastern Football Association, Northern FA, Southern FA, Central FA, Tobago FA and the Eastern Counties Football Union (ECFU), as well as Futsal and Beach Soccer.