In the city that features the Basketball Hall of Fame, it might seem only appropriate that there will be a hoops tournament to encourage coronavirus vaccinations. The "Shot for Shot Vaccination Basketball Tournament" will take place in Springfield's Forest Park on Saturday while a nearby tent will offer vaccinations to residents twelve and older.
Springfield Mayor Dom Sarno urging residents to take advantage of this opportunity for a vaccination or other clinics that are available.
Sarno states, “I know it’s the lazy days of summer, but in my regular updates from Health and Human Services Commissioner Helen Caulton-Harris, that even though our overall numbers remain low, there is an uptick with our younger demographics 18-35 and especially 16 years and under. With this new variant, it is imperative and I once again urge our residents to get vaccinated ASAP. Those who are contracting COVID-19 are the unvaccinated. Please, the vaccines are safe and sound and good for you, your family, and our Springfield community.
The teams emerging from the first round of the tournament will compete again three weeks later when it's time to administer the second doses. The event is being sponsored by the Springfield Department of Health and Human Services and the Travis Best Foundation. Best is a Springfield native who played over seven-hundred NBA games.
(Photo Credit: CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images)