ENGLAND BOXING is helping to support the Covid-19 vaccination campaign in the UK.
London 2012 Olympic medalist Anthony Ogogo and professional prospect Joe Maphosa are among those joining in with the #WinWithTheJab campaign.
With almost 1,000 clubs and 20,000 members around the country at the onset of the Pandemic, England Boxing is uniquely placed to help the NHS reach into local communities and continue the momentum that has seen more than 22 million people in England receive their first vaccine dose. Over the course of April, NHS staff will continue to focus on vaccinating those in priority groups 1 to 9 alongside offering second doses, in line with available supply.
The amateur boxing scene has mourned the loss of coaches and other stalwarts to the coronavirus. This campaign is to help encourage take up of the vaccine and allay any concerns. As well as boxers urging people to “Win with the jab,” an NHS expert also will be available for a Q&A session on the England Boxing Facebook page at 7pm on April 1, where people’s vaccine concerns will be addressed.
“Overall, the vaccine roll-out has been going extremely well, but there is still a worry that sections of some communities, my own Afro-Caribbean community among them, are more hesitant to take a vaccine than others,” said Heart of Portsmouth Head Coach and England Boxing Talent Pathway Coach Q Shillingford, who has helped set up the campaign. “There are many reasons for this, and vary from community to community, but we are hoping through this campaign to address some of those issues and convince people that having the Covid-19 jab when they are offered it is the right thing to do.
“Sadly, we have already lost a number of people in the boxing community to this disease and we don’t want to lose any more. I will be getting the vaccine as soon as my turn comes because I know it helps protects our society and tips the balance in our favour.”
“Those involved in amateur boxing are really missing gyms and our way of life in general, but this vaccine offers us a way out.”