Pirates general manager Ben Cherington applauded his team's willingness to receive COVID-19 vaccines this week.
Following the team's home opener Thursday, players and staff members of the organization were able to be vaccinated in conjunction with AHN.
"We had a really good participation rate, which was good to see," Cherington said on his radio show, which can be heard before Sunday games on 93.7 The Fan. "I think we'll continue to support that if people in our travel party or people around the team are interested, we'll find a way to support that.
"We certainly believe it's good for the Pirates, good for everyone to participate in that. Ultimately, we understand and respect everyone's individual decision on whether they want to do it or not. But it was great to see a strong level of participation and incredible support from AHN in just a really good collaboration."
While Cherington did not provide an exact number on how many vaccines were given, he did indicate that there were options for players as to which vaccine was received and that the Pfizer shot was one, requireing a secondary shot in the coming weeks. He said that, as far as side effects, no player was unable to participate in Saturday night's game against the Cubs due to the vaccine.
"There have been players with other teams that have missed a day or two because of symptoms — not because of COVID — but because of the vaccine," Cherington said.
Major League Baseball has, since the start of last year's shortened season, had tight rules in place for when teams travel. Vaccinations, like in the rest of the world, will lead to some of those rules being loosened, according to Cherington.
"The stronger participation rates we can get to — and certainly the league and player's association are encouraging that — the more some of the freedoms, for lack of a better word, will return in terms of how the Major League travel party operates and moves around.
"We've been working and playing under pretty strict protocols now for over a year. Some of the ways that we were used to operating in the past may return as we get to higher levels of vaccination. But more importantly, it's just to keep people safe."
Working with AHN and Highmark, PNC Park has been used as a mass vaccination site for the public, distributing over 30,000 vaccination shots as of late last week, according to the Pirates.
