Last month, Joan Jett & the Blackhearts returned to the road for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the band has now decided to postpone most of the remainder of its 2021 shows because of the ongoing health crisis.

In a joint statement on their official Facebook page, Jett and her group say, "It's been a thrill to be back on tour recently. We all missed being on the road, playing for the fans and playing together again."

Having said that, the band notes, "The continuing surge of COVID cases due to the Delta variant should be of concern to all of us. While we are fully vaccinated, we are still being extremely cautious to protect our fans, our crew and everyone else that work so hard to put on our shows. For that reason, we have decided to postpone the remaining performances that were planned for 2021."

Jett and the Blackhearts report that they will play one more concert on their 2021 schedule, a September 28 gig at the Paramount theater in Huntington, New York.

The band ends the message by saying, "We're disappointed to have to take this step but we feel it is necessary to protect the health of everyone. Stay safe and we'll see you in 2022!"

According to JoanJett.com, the band had seven other shows on its 2021 itinerary, spanning from an October 2 concert in Laughlin, Nevada, through a November 21 performance in Reading, Pennsylvania. No word yet if or when those dates will be rescheduled.

Jett and the Blackhearts' 2022 schedule is slated to begin on June 16 in Atlanta, when the long-delayed Stadium Tour, which also features Mötley Crüe, Def Leppard and Poison, is set to kick off.

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