The odds are stacked against Eric Clapton, a legendary guitarist and staunch vaccine skeptic. Eric Clapton, the legendary guitarist and staunch anti-vaccine skeptic has contracted COVID-19. It is concerning that Clapton, a Cream guitarist, has reached 77 years of age.
After performing at London’s Royal Albert Hall on May 8, he was diagnosed with the virus. It was the first and only venue of his tour. After having to postpone his concert dates in Zurich & Milan, he posted an apology online.
“It’s very frustrating Eric avoided COVID throughout lockdown, and during the period that travel restrictions were in effect, Eric should have succumbed at this point in the time,” reads the statement.
NPR initially reported Clapton had hoped to be back on tour by May 20, when he was scheduled to perform in Bologna. The online statement says that Clapton’s team is in the process of rescheduling six months’ worth of touring. That includes his spring tour through Europe as well as the seven September dates in America.
Clapton has voiced his dissatisfaction with the UK’s vaccine mandates, lockdown, and restrictions in the past. He and Van Morrison wrote a song entitled “Stand and Deliver” protesting the lockdown policy in 2020. One year later, the two of them reunited to record “This Has Gotta Stop,” which retreads much of their previous work. Clapton declared a month later that he would no longer perform in venues that require proof of immunization.
Clapton said, “I would like to say that I won’t perform on any stage where there is a discriminated audience present.”
Clapton last year described the “disastrous” side effects he had after receiving his second shot. Clapton also stated that the safety of vaccines was being downplayed by “propaganda”. He was administered both doses of AstraZeneca, which is not allowed for use in the USA but has been approved by the World Health Organization for use in other countries.
