KOCHI: The need of the hour in India right now is oxygen but blood banks have been making appeals to the public to donate blood before getting vaccinated to avoid a different calamity. And Indian footballer CK Vineeth is ready to pay heed to those appeals.
The COVID-19 vaccination drive is expected to begin from May 1 in India for everyone above the age of 18, and once vaccinated, they may not be able to donate blood based on the guidelines and the vaccine which gets administered.
Vineeth understands this and the 32-year-old hopes that this is one way in which he can help and inspire others.
"I am planning to donate blood before getting vaccinated. It is about the small things that we can do. It is down to our health workers and others to help save the lives of those suffering from Covid and our role in that might be limited. This is my way of trying to do whatever I can and if it sets an example for others, then so be it," said Vineeth.
Mass vaccination could lead to a scarcity of blood donors who are primarily between the age 18-45 and with two doses required for COVID-19, one might have to wait for two to three months to donate blood. Such a scenario could jeopardize other medical emergencies.
"As a footballer, my responsibility is to play for my team and the fans. At the moment, as a citizen, this is a small little gesture I can do to help someone in need. It may not be much. At the same time, one has to be extremely careful about their safety and that of their family during these times. That is paramount," he said.
The former Indian footballer had made news for volunteering at a COVID-19 helpline centre back in Kannur during the nationwide lockdown last year.
The former Bengaluru FC and Kerala Blasters FC man would take countless calls from people looking for assistance but he suggests that the situation is different now.
"There was a lockdown at that time and people couldn't step out of their homes. I was asked if I can help and I didn't think twice. This time out, things are very different and the second wave left little time to prepare. The first appeal I want to make to people is not to step out unless absolutely necessary," he said.
After parting ways with Indian Super League side East Bengal, the veteran footballer is on the lookout for a new club but that is not his priority.
"All that can wait. The country is going through an unprecedented crisis and we need to come out of it first. Everything else comes after that," he said.
Vineeth is a footballer who continues to stand apart for being vocal about everything around him.