Bruce Springsteen fans with AstraZeneca vaccine to be turned away from New York theatre shows

Vaccine is currently not approved by the FDA in the US

Bruce Springsteen fans who have had the AstraZeneca vaccine will be turned away from his comeback shows on Broadway, it has been announced.

The musician is returning with a five-night run at the St James theatre in New York on Saturday 26 June, with additional performances scheduled for September. Tickets went on sale on 10 June.

A notice on Springsteen’s official website says audience members are required to provide proof of full Covid-19 vaccination in order to enter the theatre.

However, a link to further information states that guests need to be fully vaccinated with an FDA-approved [Food and Drug Administration] vaccine, per the rules for New York State.

A statement reads: “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 definition of “fully vaccinated” means it must have been 14 days since guests received their second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or 14 days after the single dose of the Johnson & Johnson jab.

AstraZeneca has not yet been approved by the FDA because the organisation has requested that it be shown results from a large-scale trial.

The news will come as a blow to Springsteen’s Canadian fans, with more than 1.7 million people having already received the AstraZeneca vaccine.

A headline in the Toronto Star newspaper read “Burn in the USA” and added: “The show must go on. But if you got the AstraZeneca vaccine, you’re not invited.”

The NHS says the Oxford-developed AstraZeneca vaccine is “safe and tested and will protect you against serious illness from Covid-19”.

Springsteen on Broadway is based on the musician’s bestselling autobiography Born to Run, and invites fans to join him as he performs songs on the piano and on guitar, and recalls personal stories from his life.

“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.

Proceeds from the opening night will be donated to a group of local New York and New Jersey charities.