Ringo Starr Has Covid-19 Rebound, Cancels 2022 Tour

You know it don’t come easy. That’s what legendary singer, songwriter, and drummer Ringo Starr first sang in 1971. It’s also what can often be said about having Covid-19, especially when you suffer a Covid-19 rebound, something that Starr apparently now is experiencing. And this rebound has prompted Starr to cancel the rest of his 2022 North American tour. That’s essentially what the rock super-Starr tweeted on October 13:

Starr’s recent battle with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) began when he was diagnosed with Covid-19 sometime before an October 3 press release. That press release had indicated that Starr’s Covid-19 diagnosis would force him and his All Starr Band to cancel shows from October 2 through October 9. This included shows in the U.S. (Minnesota) and Canada (Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia.)

Then seven days later, on October 10, Starr posted on Instagram that he’s “On the road again I will see you in Seattle on Tuesday the 11th Portland Wednesday I am negative peace and love everybody thanks for waiting Ringo [sic]” as you can see here:

Presumably “negative peace” didn’t mean war but instead meant that he had tested negative for Covid-19 and would be having fans lend them his ears so that he could sing them a song in Seattle on October 11. But that resumption turned out to be short-lived as three days later instead of singing “Back Off Boogaloo,” the drumming Starr indicated on Twitter that he was back with Covid-19.

The 82-year-old Starr, who first rose to prominence in the 1960’s as the drummer for a band that you may or may not have heard of called The Beatles, is at higher risk for more severe Covid-19 outcomes given his age. However, he has gotten at least the primary two-dose series of Covid-19 vaccines. That’s based on what he had told Patrick Ryan in a interview published in USA Today on March 17, 2021. Back then Starr had said, “I’ve got both jabs and I’m feeling groovy.” When Ryan had asked him about side effects from the vaccine, Starr had replied, “Bad arm for the first one. And then the second one, with the doctor telling you, “You may feel fluish.” Nothing! Nothing! I felt let down.” Star added the following as well: “It was difficult trying to sleep on that side, but by 5 o’clock (the next day), it had gone. So I got away lightly, thank you, Lord. I think that’s because of the broccoli.,” referring to his blueberries, broccoli, and other veggies and fruit diet. Yes, whenever anything good happens in life, it’s always because of the broccoli, right.

That was before recommendations for Covid-19 boosters had emerged. Having gotten vaccinated should offer him at least some protection against more severe Covid-19. But the level of protection will depend on how long ago his last Covid-19 vaccine dose was, no matter how much broccoli you eat.

Staying up to date on Covid-19 vaccinations is important because, guess what, the Covid-19 pandemic ain’t over. It’s still going on, no matter what some political leaders may try to drum into your heads. And the concern right now is that yet another Covid-19 surge may right around the corner.

Remember, while vaccination can offer you protection against more severe Covid-19, it’s not like being in a Yellow Submarine with the virus being outside. Vaccination won’t offer you 100% protection. With upswings in Covid-19 already occurring in Europe, you’ll need a little help from you friends in the coming months. It will help to not only maintain Covid-19 precautions such as wearing a face mask while indoors, maintaining appropriate levels of social distancing, and staying up-to-date on vaccination but also have others around you to do such things too. Recall all that “we’re all in this together” talk back in 2020? Well, it hasn’t become “every person for himself or herself” or “bleep everyone else.”

Starr’s Covid-19 rebound also is a reminder that a negative Covid-19 test may not mean that you are done with Covid-19 after being infected with the SARS-CoV-2. False negatives can occur. Plus, by now, you’ve probably heard of quite a few Covid-19 rebound cases where people first test positive then test negative only to test positive again later. So even though it may not come easy to keep yourself isolated for a little longer (at least ten days) than is being recommended by some and confirming that you indeed are staying Covid-19 negative, doing so can be make sure that you aren’t giving the SARS-CoV-2 a tour around other people.