Podcaster Joe Rogan’s April 20 show in Vancouver was rescheduled for Oct. 20, after the comedian claimed Canada’s COVID protocol might force a date change. The postponement was confirmed on Rogan’s Facebook page Wednesday.
Deadline reports that Rogan warned fans on his Christmas Eve “Joe Rogan Experience” podcast that his vaccination status could be problematic for fans up north.
“I should probably say this because I haven’t yet. My 4/20 show that’s sold out in Vancouver, I don’t think that’s happening,” Rogan told listeners. “I don’t think I can even get into the country. I’m not vaccinated. I’m not gonna get vaccinated. I have antibodies. It doesn’t make any sense.”
The performance was slated for Rogers Arena, which requires proof of vaccination.
Rogan said in September that he had contracted COVID and was treating the viral infection at home with a variety of questionable alternatives to vaccines, including the dewormer medication Ivermectin, which the Food and Drug Administration discourages.
The Center for Disease Control says that for diseases including COVID-19, antibodies decrease over time. It’s unclear what that threshold is when it comes to COVID. The CDC recommends vaccinations for people over the age of 5 and further warns that no form of treatment is foolproof.
“It is important to remember that some people with antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 may become infected after vaccination (vaccine breakthrough infection) or after recovering from a past infection (reinfected),” the CDC advises.
Fully vaccinated people who contract COVID are less likely to be hospitalized or suffer serious sickness.
Rogan — whose show is rated by Spotify as the world’s most-listened-to podcast— has drawn heavy criticism for his approach to the coronavirus pandemic. After leading immunologist Dr. Anthony Fauci took issues with Rogan’s claim in April that young and healthy people may not need to be inoculated, the 54-year-old broadcaster from Newark, New Jersey, offered some perspective.
“I’m not a doctor, I’m a f—ing moron,” Rogan said. “I’m not a respected source of information, even for me.”
Rogan’s next show is slated for Jan. 21 in Irvine, California.
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