Eric Clapton Test Positive for COVID-19 and Postpones Shows After Vaccine Criticism

Phil Dent/Redferns Eric Clapton

Eric Clapton has tested positive for COVID-19 after repeatedly denouncing vaccine protocols.

On Monday, Clapton, 77, confirmed in a Facebook post he had tested positive for COVID-19 and would consequently postpone his upcoming tour dates in Zurich and Milan.

"Eric Clapton is unfortunately suffering from Covid having tested positive shortly after the second concert at the Royal Albert Hall. He has been told by his medical advisors that if he were to resume traveling and performing too soon, it could substantially delay his full recovery," the post began. "Eric is also anxious to avoid passing on any infection to any of his band, crew, promoters, their staff and of course the fans."

"So, after intensive internal discussion, it has been decided with great regret and apologies to all those concerned to postpone the performances in Zurich on 17th May and Milan on 18th May, the present hope being to be able to resume the tour starting with the concerts in Bologna on 20th and 21st May."

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The post continued, "It is very frustrating that having avoided Covid throughout lockdown and throughout the period when travel restrictions have been in place Eric should have succumbed to Covid at this point in time, but we very much hope he will be sufficiently recovered by the end of the week to be able to perform the remainder of the planned performances."

The Facebook post concluded by saying that an announcement concerning rescheduled dates will soon be made, and purchases will remain valid.

The British singer and guitarist has expressed skepticism of the COVID-19 vaccine in the past. In December 2020, he appeared in a song Van Morrison wrote called "Stand and Deliver," which included lyrics that were critical of the lockdown.

Two months later, Clapton received his first of two AstraZeneca vaccines against the virus, and expressed contempt in a letter to Robin Monotti, who later shared it on his Telegram with the guitarist's permission, according to Rolling Stone.

"I took the first jab of AZ and straight away had severe reactions which lasted 10 days. I recovered eventually and was told it would be 12 weeks before the second one…" Clapton wrote.

"About six weeks later I was offered and took the second AZ shot, but with a little more knowledge of the dangers. Needless to say the reactions were disastrous, my hands and feet were either frozen, numb or burning, and pretty much useless for two weeks, I feared I would never play again, (I suffer with peripheral neuropathy and should never have gone near the needle.) But the propaganda said the vaccine was safe for everyone…"

(The CDC has recommended vaccines for adults and children ages five years and older; clinical trials have found the vaccines to be safe and effective in preventing even mild symptoms of COVID-19.)

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Meanwhile, in January, during an interview on YouTube channel the Real Music Observer, he claimed he suffered severe nerve damage to his fingers from the vaccine and couldn't play his guitar for months.

"My career had almost gone anyway. At the point where I spoke up, it had been almost 18 months since I had kind of been forcibly retired," he told Real Music Observer. "And I joined forces with Van. I got the tip that Van was standing up to the measures. And I thought, 'Why isn't anybody else doing this?' And we go back; I've known him since we were kids. And I contacted him. I said, 'What do you think? What's going on?' And he said, 'I'm just objecting, really. But it seems like we're not even allowed to do that. And nobody else is doing it.' And I said, 'You're kidding. Nobody else?'"

As information about the coronavirus pandemic rapidly changes, PEOPLE is committed to providing the most recent data in our coverage. Some of the information in this story may have changed after publication. For the latest on COVID-19, readers are encouraged to use online resources from the CDC, WHO and local public health departments.