Novak Djokovic, unvaccinated against COVID-19, out of U.S. Open
CBSNov 29, 2022
The Facts
On Thurs., Novak Djokovic announced that he won't be travelling to New York to compete in the US Open due to entry restrictions as he isn't vaccinated against COVID.
This comes a day after the CDC updated international travel requirements, extending the need for non-US citizens and immigrants to "show proof of being fully vaccinated" for COVID before boarding their flight to the US.
The Spin
Right narrative
It's outrageous that Djokovic is being punished for choosing what's best for him. The Biden admin's pseudo-scientific forever pandemic policy is an outdated power grab that makes little sense as COVID vaccine mandates have neither moral nor scientific arguments due to their ineffectiveness at preventing the spread of the virus.
Left narrative
Djokovic should know that choices have consequences. He's not a human rights hero by refusing to get vaccinated, just a hypocrite that has been defying science and health instructions after criticizing Naomi Osaka for not following the rules. Vaccines have been central to containing COVID and protecting the vulnerable and, as much as we'd like it to be, the pandemic isn't over yet. It's time for him to stop this stubbornness.
Cynical narrative
Yes, Novak Djokovic holds bizarre fringe beliefs and is solely responsible for this embarrassing situation. Even so, the US travel requirements don't make sense anymore as they only apply to international flights while domestic restrictions are almost entirely gone. Punishing Djokovic only provides additional fodder for the anti-vaxxers.