Ansible 2.9 throws "AnsibleError: template error while templating string: no filter named 'version_compare'"

Ansible 2.9 (released Oct 31) removed the 'version_compare' filter (ref ansible/issues/64174)

As such, the following line from configure.yml:
when: ansible_distribution_version|version_compare(7, '=') and wildfly_manage_firewall
Is throwing the following error:
"AnsibleError: template error while templating string: no filter named 'version_compare'"