The Sky Blues have vaccinated it's players and have 'set an example to all clubs' according to a Coventry-based consultant...
Coventry City Football Club has been praised by a consultant in infectious diseases for becoming a ‘flu ambassador’.
Dr Ravi Gowda, a Coventry-based consultant in infectious diseases and a specialist in tropical diseases, said the Sky Blue’s decision to vaccinate its players was an example to all clubs.
He said: "I think this is a wonderful opportunity for the club to act as 'flu ambassadors' for society as a whole. Flu kills and yet we know that the flu vaccine uptake is not as good as it should be. It is as low as 40 per cent in certain 'at risk' groups.
"The club is really championing the cause by taking the flu vaccine themselves. If this helps publicise the importance of flu vaccinations in high risk populations then hopefully the uptake will increase."
A medical team from Travel Klinix, a Coventry-based travel health care clinic and designated yellow fever vaccination centre where Dr Gowda is director, is sending a medical team to the club’s training ground at Ryton-on-Dunsmore to vaccinate the squad.
Dr Gowda said: "Flu is highly contagious and can spread rapidly among tightly knit groups like footballers who spend time together in close proximity, for example in the dressing room, training talks and socialising. Sick players during the flu season would obviously have an extremely detrimental effect on the club and these vaccinations will substantially help reduce the chance of their catching the virus."
Sky Blues team doctor Dr Moss Gold said that Dr Gowda was also providing general travel advice to the League One club and administering other appropriate vaccinations.
Dr Gowda, who also advises blue chip companies, diplomats, members of the Armed Forces, medical teams travelling to disaster areas and airline crews, said that centres like Travel Klinix were able to provide vaccinations for large groups of employees at their place of work.