(Reuters) – A vaccinated player on the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings was admitted to an emergency room with trouble breathing due to COVID-19, head coach Mike Zimmer said on Wednesday.
Zimmer did not identify the player and said the individual is in stable condition in hospital but that it was a “scary” situation.
“One of our players that was vaccinated, he had to go to the ER last night because of COVID. It’s serious stuff,” Zimmer told reporters. “Like 29 guys are getting tested because of close contact, including myself.”
When asked if the player’s condition was due to COVID-19 or a reaction to the vaccine, Zimmer said: “No, it was COVID. I’m not a doctor, but it was COVID pneumonia or something — he had a hard time breathing.”
A report on the NFL’s website said 30-year-old offensive lineman Dakota Dozier, who was placed on the Vikings’ COVID-19 list last Friday, was the player in hospital.
Minnesota, who are second in the NFC North division with a 3-5 record, play at the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday.
(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
