Montreal Foo Fighters fan and AZ vaccine recipient excluded from U.S. concert
To call Johanne Bowe Montreal's biggest fan of rock band Foo Fighters would be an understatement.
She travelled the world numerous times to see the Seattle rockers and has accumulated countless photos, selfies with band members, and backstage passes.
“This is backstage in Colorado, and me in Boston, Quebec City, Iceland, this is when I went to California,” she said, pointing to her collection.
But her dream of seeing them this Sunday in New York City faded away as she was about to buy her tickets last week. It’s the band’s first concert in front of a full audience since the pandemic, and the first major event without attendance limit at the Madison Square Garden.
“The pop-up came up and it said it's a fully vaccinated show, and you have to be fully vaccinated,” she said.
Bowe is fully vaccinated -- but here’s the catch: the venue stated that only people vaccinated with the Pfizer, Moderna or Johnson and Johnson vaccines would be allowed in.
Bowe, like millions of Canadians, received the AstraZeneca shots.
“I called guest relations and they said, ‘No, sorry, you will be denied entry,’” explained Bowe. She was told they were following New York state rules who, in turn, decided to only accept FDA-approved vaccines. AstraZeneca has not been approved for use in the U.S., even if it’s manufactured and exported by an American pharmaceutical company.
The same rule hit Bruce Springsteen fans wishing to attend the musician's solo performance on Broadway throughout the summer, as Springsteen fan and bioethicist Kerry Bowman found out.
Bowman also received the AstraZeneca vaccine.
“It's really quite a blow, especially when you look at the clinical evidence of the vaccine,” said the public health expert from the University of Toronto.
We didn't find other U.S. jurisdictions applying these rules, but Canadian authorities said there could be a solution.
“We will make sure that individuals in Ontario and Canada receive a Health Canada-approved document so AstraZeneca [recipients] will have the same rights as individuals who received other vaccines,” explained Ontario solicitor general Sylvia Jones.
But it won't happen overnight, according to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
“For the fall, in the medium term, we are working with the provinces to establish national certification of vaccination status, that will be easily accessible around the world,” he said.
But Bowe thinks New York's rules are absurd.
“All of Europe is AstraZeneca, it's crazy,” she said.
She's come to terms with missing Sunday's show, but hopes these rules aren't the beginning of a trend.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
Quebec judge orders bus driver to stand trial for 2023 daycare crash deaths
A judge has ordered a Quebec man to stand trial on charges of first-degree murder in the deaths of two children killed when a bus rammed into a Montreal-area daycare last year.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Humboldt Broncos bus crash survivor qualifies Canada for Paralympics in rowing event
Former Humboldt Broncos goaltender and bus crash survivor Jacob Wassermann has qualified Canada for a rowing event for the 2024 Paralympic games in Paris.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
Krispy Kreme doughnuts coming to McDonald's in U.S., but not Canada
Canadians will be missing out on a sweet new partnership between McDonald's and Krispy Kreme, which will see doughnuts available at McDonald's locations across the U.S. by the end of 2026.
Calgary officer charged after allegedly assaulting handcuffed man
A Calgary police officer has been charged after allegedly assaulting a handcuffed man two years ago.
Trudeau's latest pre-budget pledge targets millennial moms, vowing $1B in loans for more child-care spaces
The federal government is launching a new loan program to help child-care providers in Canada expand their spaces, and will be extending further student loan forgiveness and training options for early childhood educators, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday.