Holland Hospital cut ties with Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins Friday afternoon after he had served as a spokesperson for the healthcare provider over the last several years.
Cousins, who recently declined to answer questions regarding his COVID-19 vaccination status, was reinstated to Minnesota's roster from its reserve/COVID-19 list Thursday. He was placed on the list after being in close contact with a player who tested positive. The Holland native said he has no issue cooperating with the NFL's COVID-19 protocols, but that getting the shot is a personal matter that he wants to keep private.
"I think the vaccination decision is a very private health matter for me, and I'm gonna keep it as such," Cousins said Thursday during a press conference."I'm going to be vigilant about avoiding a close contact. I've even thought about should I just set up literally plexiglass around where I sit, so that this can never happen again. I've thought about it, because I'm gonna do whatever it takes."Holland Hospital released a statement Friday afternoon announcing the decision to move on from Cousins, who held a sponsorship agreement with the hospital. It said that while it appreciates the work Cousins has done for the hospital over the years, they need to be sure anybody speaking on behalf of Holland Hospital is in lockstep with its position on vaccinations. While we acknowledge that each person is entitled to their own viewpoints, those who speak on our behalf must support messages that align with the hospital’s position on matters of vital importance to individual and community health," the statement reads. "For this reason, Holland Hospital will discontinue using Kirk Cousins as our spokesperson for now. We are proud of our association with Kirk. He embodies many values we respect and share as part of our work culture. However, we must be certain that our communications about COVID vaccination are consistent and unequivocal."
The statement continued to say that the hospital will continue to recommend the vaccine to those who need it.
"Evidence also indicates that vaccinated individuals may be less likely to carry and transmit the virus to others including children, family members and friends," the statement said. "For these reasons, Holland Hospital has and will continue to strongly recommend the COVID vaccine to those who are eligible to receive it."
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