The Boston Bruins had admitted that with the craziness of the season, getting the second COVID-19 vaccine was a bit of a logistical nightmare.
Given the concern about flu-like symptoms being a side effect of the shot, it’s understandable why some might’ve been skeptical about getting the vaccine on or around a gameday.
But by dispatching the Washington Capitals in five games, with the clincher coming Sunday, the B’s have had a little bit of down time. They returned to practice Wednesday after having Monday and Tuesday off, and many used that time to get the second vaccine.
“A bunch of our players, a large group had their second shot (Tuesday),” Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy said Wednesday over Zoom. “I don’t know exactly which ones, but there was a bunch that went in. Nobody missed practice (Wednesday), but a few guys were more under the weather than others. But in general, everybody came out of it fine, so that’s good news.
“(In two weeks) we may be at our 85 percent, so you get a few more liberties,” Cassidy added.
The NHL has loosened its protocols for teams that have at least 85 percent of their traveling party fully vaccinated. With so many Bruins seeming to get it this week, that would point in the direction of the team potentially being able to reach that number.
It’s worth noting, however, that players still have to wait until two weeks after the second shot to consider themselves fully vaccinated, as Cassidy alluded to. For that reason, the Bruins might have to make it to the third round before they could reap the full benefits of reaching that 85 percent threshold.
