Here's a news item that should shake up some things…
Theatregoers eager to return to Broadway will need to show proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 before the curtain rises. The Broadway League, the trade association representing producers, theatre owners, and more, announced that all 41 Broadway venues will require vaccines for audience members. Masks will also be required inside the theatre, per current CDC recommendations in the wake of the Delta variant.
The news follows the release of safety procedures made in agreement between the League and Actors' Equity, the union representing stage performers and stage managers. Those protocols include, among others, that companies are "Fully Vaccinated."
As is the case with company members and with some out-of-town engagements (like Hamilton's upcoming run in Los Angeles), exemptions will be made for patrons under 12 and those with either a medical condition or "closely held religious belief" that prevents them from receiving the vaccine. In those instances, the individuals will be required to show proof of a negative COVID test (either a PCR test taken within 72 hours of the performance or an antigen test within six hours).
If Broadway's doing it, other entertainment venues will do it. There are already isolated shows (like Bruce Spingsteen's) that required it of audiences and, of course, counter rules like Eric Clapton and Van Morrison insisting they won't play venues that require proof of vaccination.
It looks like we're in for a lot of that…with people who won't get a vaccination comparing themselves to anyone anywhere who's ever been discriminated against because of their race, gender, heritage, religion, whatever.
But at the moment, I'm thinking about this: We are all familiar with people who stake out positions and say, in effect or for real, "Nothing will ever convince me otherwise." Back when I was way too interested in the Kennedy Assassination, I ran into them at every turn. J.F.K. was killed by Lizard People from the planet Reptilon and no evidence of any kind could ever convince them otherwise.
Or Man never walked on the Moon or 9/11 was an inside job or Donald Trump really won every state, etc. We've all heard these set-in-stone beliefs. But here's the thing: COVID Denial — it's a fake disease or it's nowhere near as bad as they say or it's all a plot for Mind Control — is the first time people are literally betting their lives. You couldn't die by believing Elvis is still alive but you could by refusing to take the coronavirus seriously. You and someone close to you could.
Obviously, some will continue to deny, deny, deny and they'll survive to say, "See? I didn't need the shot! I didn't have to wear a stupid mask!" And they'll have some cockamamie conspiracy theory to explain away the alleged X million deaths worldwide.
But some of them are going to quietly get the shot(s) while either denying they did or declining to state. Many Republicans in the House and Senate are refusing to say if they were vaccinated…which almost certainly means they were but they fear losing the support of the anti-vaxx crowd if they admit it. And now they can't go see Hamilton. And if Major League Baseball adopts the same rules, they can't go to a Nationals game. And they already can't go see Springsteen.
For some people in this world, admitting you were wrong about anything is as bad as — if not worse than — dying itself. I hope a lot of people, including some I know, won't be like that.