As we end the year of 2021, life and events have seemed to go back to normal. Or so we think. While music festivals and concerts resume (most with precautions and restrictions), Neil Young asserts that he will not tour as long as COVID-19 is still a threat.

No one expected the world to abruptly change the way that it did in March 2020. COVID quickly spread throughout the world, which hadn’t been seen before in our lifetimes. The world was not prepared to handle such a huge pandemic like COVID-19 and almost no one understood how to handle this frightening illness.

As debates continue about whether vaccinations are beneficial or not, Young claims that it is a great precaution to take to eventually beat COVID-19. In an interview with Howard Stern, Young states, “People are not being realistic and they’re not being scientific. If we followed the rules of science, and everybody got vaccinated, we’d have a lot better chance.”

This isn’t the first time that Young has canceled a performance due to COVID-19. Earlier this year, Young canceled his Farm Aid 2021 performance after worrying that it would not be safe.

Still, Young has optimism in these tough times. Even though he asserts that he will not being touring while the risk of contracting COVID-19 is still high for everyone, he believes that the world will eventually see positive change. The 76-year-old musician states, “The pendulum has gotta swing a long way before a big change happens. I feel good. I think we’re gonna make it. I think we’re gonna turn this around.” In the end, everyone hopes the same thing. More information about Young’s interview with Howard Stern can be viewed on Consequence.