Touring Professional Explains Vaccine Position of Many Artists

With the recent COVID regulations announced by AEG, Maroon 5, the City of New Orleans, and other municipalities, one touring professional explains it all in a simple post.

The above entities and, I am sure many more soon to follow, are now requiring masks and proof of vaccination or negative COVID test for entry into any venue with large crowds.

I know what some of you are saying, as I've heard/read/seen it ad nauseam for the past few weeks: "If the vaccine works, why do we need masks?" "If the masks work, why do we need vaccines?"

I'm not going to rehash all that because, basically, I'm tired of hearing myself say it (do bullet-proof vests work 100% of the time? NO? But officers still wear them, right?). Anyway, whether you want to wear a mask or not is 100% on you. YOU have that right to choose. What you DON'T have the right to do is spread disease.

With that being said, there is are reasons that artists, venues, and even some cities are now requiring people to mask/vaccinate/test: 1) It protects the artists and employees who are trying to provide us with goods, services, or entertainment while they make a buck at the same time; 2) It protects us, you and me, me and you, your friends, your family, your loved ones, even people you don't like so much; and 3) IT'S THE MORAL THING TO DO. The reason we call it "civilization" is because we are supposed to be civil.

Nina Lorraine Ruckteschler is the Touring Project Manager at CID Entertainment, and in her plea for people to get vaccinated, she explains what is at risk:

Ruckteschler asks everyone who wants to go to a show to get vaccinated and, if you can't (or won't) get vaccinated, don't go to a show. She outright begs you. Then she explains:

All of us were out of work for 18 months... The unemployment ran out. We have no Union. Nothing. - Nina Lorraine Ruckteschler via Facebook

If ANY members of the crew get COVID, they are done for AT LEAST 10 days, and up to 2 weeks (quarantine time). For some artists that could be up to a dozen or so shows that they (and the fans) miss.

She goes on to explain that it may be "just a concert to you", but there are dozens of people behind the scenes who depend on these shows for their livelihood. The crew that does the load in/out, rig up/down, run sound, lights, tickets, front-of-house, back-of-house, catering - there are so many people being put at risk.

Everyone needs to take every precaution possible so as to transmit as few germs as possible. Masks slow the spread. Good hygiene slows the spread. The vaccine slows the spread and helps keep people from being hospitalized. Every. Little. Bit. Helps.

For those of you who scoff at Nina's post, I have some homework for you: go look up the word "empathy". Read the definition, and then go try to find some (I helped by linking out to the definition from Google).