Ticketmaster may Require COVID Testing & Vaccinations for Attendees

            The musical conglomerate Billboard is reporting a major development within the entertainment industry. Billboard reported that Ticketmaster, an American tickets sales and distribution company based in California, may require event attendees provide proof of a coronavirus vaccination or a negative coronavirus test. Ticketmaster clarified this possible requirement, by stating it will be leaving the decision for this requirement up to event organizers. Ticketmaster’s event organizers (entertainers, venues, promoters etc.) use the Ticketmaster platform to sell their event tickets. Thus, Ticketmaster will allow event organizers to decide whether a coronavirus vaccination or a negative coronavirus test will be required for event entry.

            This development is a part of Ticketmaster’s post-pandemic plan, as the organization looks to resume physical entertainment events next year. Currently, the entertainment giant is developing a technology framework that will assess whether an event attendee has either tested negative for the coronavirus within the last 24-72 hours or has been administered the forthcoming coronavirus vaccination. “The length of coverage a test would provide would be governed by regional health authorities — if attendees of a Friday night event had to be tested 48 hours in advance, most could start the testing process the day before the event.” If the proposed window is 24 hours in your region, you may be able to test on the day of the entertainment event. There is also the possibility that fans could be tested onsite before the event, even though this is the least ideal situation for Ticketmaster. Onsite testing could result in delayed entry, longer lines, and potentially delay the start of the event.

            Ticketmaster noted that they would not have access to the attendee’s medical records. They would only receive a verification that the attendee has been cleared to attend the proposed event. Once the test or vaccination was completed, the attendee would instruct the medical provider to deliver the results to their health pass company, like CLEAR or IBM. CLEAR or IBM would provide a verification to Ticketmaster, who would permit the attendee event entrance. Health pass companies like CLEAR or IBM, have the knowledge and ability “to collect data from testing and medical providers and deliver status updates to partner companies in a secure, encrypted way that complies with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)”. Thus, Ticketmaster would not be responsible for storing such sensitive information. Ticketmaster believes that this implementation is one of the first ways to begin to return our lives back to normal.

Questions:

1. Should event attendees be required to vaccinate? Do you agree with Ticketmaster’s post-pandemic plan? Explain.
2. Explain the impact that this kind of decision can have on public policy. Do you think more companies and establishments will require a coronavirus vaccination in the future?

Source: Billboard: How Ticketmaster Plans to Check Your Vaccine Status for Concerts: Exclusive