Bruce Springsteen is returning to Broadway, though certain people inoculated against COVID-19 will not be allowed to see him.
Springsteen's show, set to run June 26-Sept. 4, will not be open to people who've been vaccinated with the AstraZeneca vaccine, which has not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration, the New York Post reported Friday.
"At the direction of New York State, Springsteen on Broadway and the St. James Theatre will only be accepting proof of FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccines (Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson)," the show's website reads.
People attending the show must be fully vaccinated with an FDA-approved shot to get in. That means at least 14 days after a second dose of the Pfizer-BioNtech or Moderna vaccine, or at least 14 days after a single dose of Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine.
The Post reported Springsteen said in a statement he wanted to make the 2-hour-plus shows as "personal and intimate as possible."
Some Canadian fans who received the AstraZeneca shot were upset about potentially being denied entrance.
"It’s just plain not fair," said University of Toronto bioethicist Kerry Bowman in Wednesday’s Toronto Star.
"From an ethical point of view, it’s very difficult, because what has happened is people have made their commitment to being vaccinated for their own health and the health of their communities and the world, and people are turning their nose up at it."
The only exceptions to the vaccine policy will be for children under the age of 16 who have had a negative antigen COVID-19 screening within six hours of the show’s start, or a negative nose swab test within 72 hours of the start.
Masks were not mentioned on the show’s website, which reminded guests that all seating is "not socially distant."
Other COVID-19 precautions at the theater included:
- Staggered entry times to minimize lines and crowds upon entering.
- Contactless options will be available for transactions upon entry and for in-venue purchases.
- Auditorium ventilation systems have been upgraded to MERV 13 filters.
- EPA approved cleaning products are used along with rigorous cleaning and sanitation protocols.
- All guests must complete a COVID-19 health screening survey within 24 hours of the performance in order to enter the theatre.
"Specific health & safety protocols are subject to change but will be clearly communicated to ticket holders in advance of their performance," the site said. "Ticket holders who do not comply with venue protocols will not be admitted."
Tickets for the show showings were available from $375 on SeatGeek.com as of early Friday, according to the Post.
"Springsteen on Broadway" is a one-man show that debuted in 2017 and was extended three times, finally closing in late 2018. Columbia Records put out a two-disc soundtrack of the show, and a filmed version of the show is on Netflix.
"I loved doing 'Springsteen on Broadway' and I’m thrilled to have been asked to reprise the show as part of the reopening of Broadway,” Springsteen said in a statement.
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