Jurgen Klopp compared people who are not vaccinated against Covid-19 to those who endanger others by driving while drunk.
The Liverpool manager said "99 per cent" of his squad is vaccinated against Covid-19.
"I didn't have to convince the players," said Klopp ahead of his side's game against Manchester City.
"It was a natural decision from the team. I can't remember talking to a player in a one-on-one situation explaining to him why he should, because I'm not a doctor. What I would give, like I would in other situations, is my advice. It was not necessary.
"In general, it sounds like we are not allowed to give people advice. Where did I get the knowledge from that I think it makes sense to get the vaccine? I called doctors that I’ve known for years and I asked them, ‘What should I do?’
"That’s how I usually work - when you don’t know about anything, you call a specialist and the specialist tells you. That’s why I took the vaccination because I am in an age group [54] where it is not that easy any more, the virus could be tricky, and I was really happy when I could get it. I don't understand 100 per cent, maybe I'm a little naive, why we are not allowed to give advice.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp on anti-vaxxers
Jurgen Klopp has a superb response to the question of footballers (and wider society) being vaccinated, using the analogy of a drunk driver:
"The law is not there to protect me, it’s there for protecting all the other people because I’m drunk or pissed and want to drive a car." pic.twitter.com/r7dbLmTY2z
— This Is Anfield (@thisisanfield) October 2, 2021
"If I say I am vaccinated, other people say: ‘How can you tell me I should be vaccinated?’ It is a little bit like drink-driving. We all probably were in a situation where we had a beer or two and thought we still could drive but, [because of] the law, we are not allowed to drive so we don’t drive. But this law is not there for protecting me when I drink two beers and want to drive, it’s for protecting all the other people because I’m drunk or pissed and want to drive a car, and we accept that as a law.
"I don’t take the vaccination only to protect me, I take the vaccination to protect all the people around me. I don’t understand why that is a limitation of freedom because, if it is, then not being allowed to drink and drive is a limitation of freedom as well. I got the vaccination because I was concerned about myself but even more so about everybody around me. If I get [Covid-19] and I suffer from it, [it's] my fault. If I get it and spread it to someone else, [it's] my fault and not their fault.
"We are not allowed to ask people if they are vaccinated but I’m allowed to ask a taxi driver: ‘Are you drunk?’ If he says: ‘I don’t have to tell you,’ then I say: ‘OK, I don’t drive with you.’ If I show up in the office drunk, they can send me home or even sack me but we are not allowed to ask people. I might be really naive but I don’t understand it."
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