Dave Martinez Announces Washington Nationals Players get the Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccination thanks to MLB & the Cardinals

The Washington Nationals were able to get the Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine on Monday, said the Washington Nationals Manager.

Richard Wachtel

Apr 13, 2021 - 1 min read

Yesterday, on his pre-game Zoom call with reporters, Manager Dave Martinez announced that most Washington Nationals players and staff received the one-shot Johnson and Johnson vaccine while in St. Louis.

Martinez mentioned that a partnership between Major League Baseball and St. Louis Cardinals, help make the shot available to the Washington Nationals. "The guys that wanted to get vaccinated got vaccinated today so we're elated about that as well," Martinez said. "For the most part we all got vaccinated, so we're going to move forward." Martinez didn't provide the players or staff's names that got the Johnson and Johnson one-time shot.

According to MLB protocols, teams that reach the 85% threshold for players vaccinated would allow for some relaxed COVID-19 protocols; the Nationals mentioned that they are still working towards that goal.

The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is known to have some slight side effects such as some pain in the arms or other symptoms in the hours or days following the vaccination.

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"Everybody has their own opinion about the vaccination, and I think we all looked at it that way. So the guys that want to get vaccinated had an opportunity to get vaccinated today, they did," Martinez said. "And those guys that didn't get it, the opportunity is still there for them."

The New York Times reported this morning that: "The Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control will stop using the vaccine at federal sites and urge states to do so as well while they examine the safety issues." The Times reported that some recipients in the United States developed a rare disorder involving blood clots within about two weeks of vaccination.

On April 9, the Washington Nationals announced after working with the D.C. Department of Health and Emergency Management that Nats park will increase its capacity to 25% for upcoming homestands.