ESPN reporter Allison Williams announced that she will forego the 2021 college football season after she elected against receiving the coronavirus vaccine.
Williams said Thursday that, after consulting with her doctor and a fertility specialist, she had decided not to get vaccinated against COVID-19 as she and her husband are trying to conceive a second child.
"This was a deeply difficult decision to make and it’s not something I take lightly," Williams said in a statement posted to Twitter. "I understand vaccines have been essential in the effort to end this pandemic; however, taking the vaccine at this time is not in my best interest."
"After a lot of prayer and deliberation, I have decided I must put my family and personal health first," she continued. "I will miss being on the sidelines and am thankful for the support of my ESPN family. I look forward to when I can return to the games and job that I love."
This will be the first fall in the last 15 years I won’t be on the sidelines for College Football.
— Allison Williams (@AllisonW_Sports) September 9, 2021
My heart hurts posting this but I’m at peace with my decision. pic.twitter.com/np5V3gdrfW
ESPN in May notified employees who travel to events that they must be vaccinated by Aug. 1. ESPN said at the time that a number of hosts for sporting events were requiring that the company's staff be vaccinated.
In July, Walt Disney, ESPN’s parent company, announced that they would require all employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Sept. 30.
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And while ESPN would not address Williams' situation specifically, they did say that accommodation requests would be granted to eligible applicants.
"We are going through a thorough review of accommodation requests on a case by case basis, and are granting accommodations where warranted," an ESPN spokesperson said in a statement to CNBC. "Our focus is on a safe work environment for everyone."
This comes amid President Joe Biden announcing Thursday that employers with at least 100 workers must require employees to get vaccinated or undergo weekly coronavirus testing.
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