UK tour bound India players to get the second vaccine jab under UK health department's guidance

Team India is all set to resume the international duties in June as they will travel to England for the final of the inaugural edition of the World Test Championship (WTC) against New Zealand from June 18 to June 22 at Southampton. The same will be followed by India locking horns against England in the five-match Test series, starting from August 4.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is keen on taking all the precautions to ensure that the India tour of England and WTC final is conducted without any hindrance or roadblocks. The Indian board has instructed all the players to arrive in Mumbai by May 19 after which they will have to undergo three RT-PCR tests along with a 14-day quarantine period. 

BCCI has also informed all UK-bound cricketers to ensure that they don’t test positive for coronavirus upon their arrival in Mumbai as BCCI won’t make any special arrangements for any players if they test positive. “The players have been informed to consider their tour over if they are found positive on their arrival in Mumbai as BCCI will not arrange another charter flight for any cricketer,” Times of India quoted a source as saying.

The second dose of vaccine will be administered by the UK health department: BCCI source

Meanwhile, it is learned that the UK government has decided to make special arrangements for the Indian players to receive the second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine in the United Kingdom. From May 1, the Indian government announced that all Indian citizens above the age of 18 are allowed to take the first jab of the vaccine. 

Thus, many UK-bound cricketers including the likes of Virat Kohli, R Ashwin, Ajinkya Rahane, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Rishabh Pant, Shubman Gill, and Ravindra Jadeja took the first jab of the vaccine. Thus, BCCI was working closely with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to make arrangements for the players to get vaccinated in the UK. 

The UK health department has now taken the responsibility of getting the Indian players vaccinated. “The team has already taken the first dose here after the government opened the vaccination process for all above 18. The second dose will be administered by the UK health department once the players are eligible to get the second jab as per rules,” the source said.

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