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Phish postpones New Year’s Eve concert because of Omicron

Entertainment

(CNN)Phish has announced they will reschedule their shows in New York City next week, citing concerns over the Omicron variant of Covid-19.

“While Phish has played shows this year as the pandemic has continued, this variant’s ability for rapid transmission is unprecedented,” the group wrote in a statement posted to their website.

The rock group has made an annual tradition of performing New Year’s Eve concerts at New York’s Madison Square Garden.

    “We are also mindful that a significant number of people travel for these shows and then return to their communities, and we want to avoid accelerating transmission of the virus,” their statement continued. “Even with the strictest of tour Covid protocols, the prolonged exposure of a four-night indoor run (plus the days of preparation and travel) to critical crew and staff considerably increases the possibility of having to shut the shows down once they’ve started.”

      The sold-out Madison Square Garden shows are now scheduled to take place April 20-23. Tickets will be honored for those dates or will be refunded in full for the next 30 days.

        “Thank you all for your understanding,” the statement concluded. “Stay healthy and safe, take care of each other out there and please get vaccinated and boosted if you haven’t already.”