TAMPA BAY, Fla — The NFL Alumni Tampa Bay Chapter is teaming up with local organizations to host a COVID-19 vaccination event on Friday in Tampa. Former NFL players will be there to share their stories of why they got vaccinated and there will be raffles, live music, giveaways, and food.
Michael Clayton is a former wide receiver for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and he will be one of the former players there. Clayton told ABC Action News he wants to help make sure people have the correct information they need so they can make an informed decision about the COVID-19 vaccine.
Clayton admitted he was hesitant about getting the vaccine at first, despite being married to a doctor who got the COVID-19 vaccine when it was first available. He said after getting properly educated about the facts of the vaccine, he changed his own mind.
“Then throughout the passing of months and more information came out about it – I got information from my healthcare provider. I had conversations with my wife about what she was experiencing on the front line as a doctor and as a family, we decided that being vaccinated was the best way to protect our family,” said Clayton.
“It’s about getting the education. It’s okay to be scared. It’s okay to have some type of trepidation behind vaccines because we don’t know what it is. If you are not fully and properly informed you are going to have fears about it. So the messaging is – listen – consult the people who are experts at what they do. You have to – it’s almost imperative – that you talk to a doctor. Doctors will help alleviate all of the stress and misinformation that is put out in the world,” said Clayton.
The COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic will take place Friday, September 17th from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m at Ana G. Mendez University (3655 West Waters Avenue, Tampa FL 33614). The event will have the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines available on a walk-in basis.
NFL Alumni Health partnered with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for an outreach and education initiative to help build COVID-19 vaccination confidence.
For more information on Friday's event click here.
