The players have been accused of queue jumping
NHS staff at a vaccination centre in Derbyshire have received threatening phone calls from local residents after a small number of Chesterfield FC players were given the first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine,
Sky Sports are reporting.
The aggressive calls follow a Daily Mail report on the players being accused of queue-jumping, with the elderly and vulnerable meant to be ahead of healthy 20-somethings in the priority list.
Chesterfield have been in talks with the vaccination clinic in Stubley, offering use of their stadium as a location for drive through testing.
The centre have told Sky that they are following NHS guidelines, and that if they have any spare vaccines due to missed appointments, protocol obliges them to offer jabs to people outside the vulnerable and elderly bracket to avoid wasting any vaccines.
Three Chesterfield players have been vaccinated.
Chesterfield FC said in a statement: "A small number of Chesterfield players and staff - most of whom are classed as vulnerable people - have received the Covid-19 vaccine.
"In line with the NHS' directive - that doctors and staff have the discretion to ensure that they can make full use of any unused vaccines, rather than have any go to waste - the people concerned were called at very short notice to receive the vaccine.
"They were only contacted after the surgery had exhausted all other viable options. Those involved were keen that these vaccines were not wasted, which would have been the case had they not received them.
"We continue to support the NHS's brilliant work and have provided Covid-19 testing facilities at our stadium throughout the pandemic, so vital care can be administered."
