Billboard (12/03/20) Lawrence, Jesse

TicketIQ founder Jesse Lawrence writes in Billboard that live event organizers should take a vanguard position in the effort to defeat the COVID-19 pandemic through vaccination. "Larger venues are often public-private collaborations, which means that local government has a critical seat at the table, and can facilitate the kind of authorization and resources needed in times of crisis," he argues. "Most venues have ample room to store the type of deep-freeze equipment needed to maintain at least two of the most promising vaccine candidates." Lawrence notes that venues support multiple entry and exit points, which would aid cargo and equipment delivery, while also maintaining the separation of vaccinated and unvaccinated fans before, during and after events. "A vaccination effort of this magnitude will also extend beyond the venue's walls, to parking lots, which can be assigned based on health status," he adds. Lawrence also advocates for a federally-funded comprehensive in-venue vaccination campaign, which "would activate what amounts to an army of younger and uniquely qualified workers, and instantly add millions of permanent jobs back to the national payroll. The men and women of the live events business are ready to accept this call to service."

Read the full story from Billboard.