David Screech had already selected his seats and put in his credit card information for B次元官网网址淪pringsteen on BroadwayB次元官网网址� tickets when he noticed the COVID-19 vaccine requirements: his two doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca wouldnB次元官网网址檛 be enough for admission.
Screech, the mayor of View Royal, B.C., and a Springsteen fan of 40 years, received his second AstraZeneca dose last week, but the Jujamcyn TheatersB次元官网网址� website said it would only allow guests B次元官网网址渇ully vaccinated with an FDA-approved vaccineB次元官网网址� B次元官网网址� Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson B次元官网网址� to see the show.
The New York venue held firm when Screech contacted them directly to ask about the requirement, turning his anticipation into disappointment. While heB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址渧ery gratefulB次元官网网址� to have two doses of an effective vaccine, Screech said he had some reservations about AstraZeneca, and the Broadway snub B次元官网网址渃ertainly added to that.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淥bviously our health is far more important than being able to go to shows or concerts. But the flip side of that is, shows and concerts have been a major part of my life,B次元官网网址� Screech said.
B次元官网网址淎nd the idea of not being able to go to them for the foreseeable future because of possibly getting the wrong vaccine is a little disappointing.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淪pringsteen on BroadwayB次元官网网址� isnB次元官网网址檛 the only New York City attraction holding guests to strict vaccination rules.
Live tapings of TV shows including B次元官网网址淪aturday Night LiveB次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址淭he Late Show with Stephen ColbertB次元官网网址� also snub AstraZeneca doses in rules listed on their websites, which say theyB次元官网网址檙e acting B次元官网网址渁t the direction of New York State.B次元官网网址�
The New York Islanders, currently in an NHL playoff series against the Tampa Bay Lightning, donB次元官网网址檛 appear to have the same restrictions. While the teamB次元官网网址檚 website says fans need proof of vaccination B次元官网网址減er New York State guidelines,B次元官网网址� the arena also has B次元官网网址渘on-vaccinated sections.B次元官网网址�
The offices of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, the New York State Department of Health and the Jujamcyn Theaters did not immediately return requests for comment.
Dr. Zain Chagla, an infectious disease physician in Hamilton, wasnB次元官网网址檛 surprised to see institutions begin enacting vaccine passports. But blocking AstraZeneca recipients from a Springsteen show seemed particularly cruel.
B次元官网网址淚f thereB次元官网网址檚 something more painful you can do to Generation X, this is it,B次元官网网址� Chagla said with a laugh.
Potential vaccine requirements for travellers could get even trickier if other countries begin forming rules based on their own authorized jabs, Chagla said.
A sense of vaccine nationalism could lead some to insist their authorized products are B次元官网网址渢he gold standard,B次元官网网址� he added, noting that Johnson & Johnson, which was created with the same viral-vector technology as AstraZeneca, was slightly less effective in clinical trials.
B次元官网网址淭his is just a very arbitrary line in the sand, based on what the FDA approved, (without) recognizing that AstraZeneca is approved by many other health-care organizations around the world,B次元官网网址� Chagla said.
B次元官网网址淧rivate industries have the right to do what they want but at the same time we need to have larger discussions around whatB次元官网网址檚 considered a fully immunized person, and with which vaccines.B次元官网网址�
Canada and the United States extended restrictions on non-essential travel on Friday, keeping the border between the countries closed until at least July 21.
Chagla expects more U.S. states to adopt FDA-approved vaccine requirements, which could bring more uncertainty and insult to AstraZeneca recipients planning to travel south once the border re-opens. Roughly two millions Canadians have received an AstraZeneca shot.
The websites of some tourist attractions in California and Florida, and ones in border cities including Detroit and Seattle, did not outline specific immunization rules as of Friday.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that while potential stipulations in countries that donB次元官网网址檛 recognize the B次元官网网址渇ull suite of vaccinesB次元官网网址� will be an issue, Canada is B次元官网网址渆ngaged in discussions with Americans and with partners around the world to ensure that people who are protected from COVID-19 are able to travel.B次元官网网址�
Chagla called for world leaders to establish a B次元官网网址渂enchmarkB次元官网网址� of potential vaccine requirements and give people confidence in their jab.
B次元官网网址淵ou really want people to feel theyB次元官网网址檙e making the right decision, theyB次元官网网址檙e not going to be discriminated against, and theyB次元官网网址檒l have access to everything a vaccinated person should,B次元官网网址� he said.
Andria Bianchi, a bioethicist and assistant professor at the University of TorontoB次元官网网址檚 school of public health, wondered about the justification for the Broadway showB次元官网网址檚 vaccine rule.
If the goal is to ensure no one with COVID-19 enters the building, relying strictly on FDA-authorized vaccine passports isnB次元官网网址檛 the only way to achieve that.
B次元官网网址淚 hope that when any place is developing policies or putting restrictions in place that theyB次元官网网址檙e very well-thought out and all possible options are explored,B次元官网网址� Bianchi said.
B次元官网网址淚 imagine thereB次元官网网址檚 going to be a lot of AstraZeneca recipients frustrated and maybe feeling a sense of injustice.B次元官网网址�
Screech said he hopes the B次元官网网址淪pringsteen on BroadwayB次元官网网址� rule will change to reflect that AstraZeneca provides solid protection against COVID-19.
B次元官网网址淏ut thereB次元官网网址檚 disappointment for sure, and a bit of worry about what it means for (other) U.S. venues in the future.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址擬elissa Couto Zuber, The Canadian Press
