Ticketmaster has clarified a report that claimed the company was working on a plan to use smart phones to verify whether customers have been vaccinated or tested for coronavirus in preparation for a potential return to live events. Billboard's original report indicated that the process would involve fans using the Ticketmaster app in partnership with medical information firms and vaccine and testing distributors. After buying a ticket, customers would be required to either verify their vaccination status or prove they have tested negative for coronavirus within 72 hours prior to the event. Regional health authorities would determine the length of coverage for any test. Attendees would then authorize vaccine distribution providers to send over test results to companies like CLEAR Health Pass or IBM's Digital Health Pass, which would verify the fan's status to Ticketmaster. Anyone who tests positive or fails to get screened won't be granted access to the event venue, Billboard reported. Earlier today, Ticketmaster issued the following statement correcting the original report from Billboard: "It was widely misreported yesterday that Ticketmaster will be requiring vaccine status/test results for future events. This is not true. Ticketmaster does not have the power to set policies around safety/entry requirements, which would include vaccines and/or testing protocols. That is up to the discretion of the event organizer. We are indeed exploring these options, but it is still only a potential concept. And Ticketmaster will not be able to require such parameters — it would always be up to the event organizer." Due to the ongoing pandemic, ticketing and promotion giant Live Nation Entertainment — which operates both Live Nation and Ticketmaster — last week reported a 95% drop in revenue in its third quarter compared to the same time last year. Earlier this week, Pfizer said results from a Phase 3 trial shows its vaccine candidate is more than 90 percent effective. The seasonal flu vaccine, by comparison, prevents illness 40 percent of the time.
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