PGA Tour's Paul Casey got COVID-19 vaccine to 'get back to normal'

Last week, the PGA Tour sent a memo to players and caddies that encouraged them to get vaccinated against COVID-19, included fact-checking information about the safety of the shots and said that fully vaccinated individuals will no longer need to participate in on-site coronavirus testing. 

England's Paul Casey, 43, told reporters on Thursday he's already received both vaccine shots, in part, because he's "willing to do the things necessary to get through" the pandemic. 

"I know what I feel, and I don't know what the general consensus is on the tour in terms of wanting to get vaccinated, guys who don't, conspiracy theories," Casey explained about other players potentially not receiving vaccine shots, per Bob Harig of ESPN. "All I know is that I think, like of lot of people out there, like the general public, we're kind of getting to the point where we just want to crack on with things and get back to normal."

Casey added: "I would try to reach as much as I can. I don't want to get on a soapbox and kind of scream it, but we all want to get through this. And how else are we going to get through it unless everybody has got antibodies and we get vaccinated."

On Tuesday, Detroit Lions left tackle Taylor Decker announced he wasn't getting vaccinated even though the NFL has informed players and clubs that health and safety restrictions can be loosened for those who receive the shots. 

"I did not get vaccinated and I’m not going to," Decker said. "I’m just not going to speak to the reasons why. I have my reasons. I don’t know, that’s such a hot button topic, but me personally, I just don’t feel like it’s the best thing for me so I’m not going to do it."