Starting Tuesday, February 15, Boston residents and tourists 12 years old and up will need proof of having received two COVID-19 vaccine shots in order to enter certain indoor facilities, such as indoor restaurants, bars, nightclubs, gyms, movie theaters, and more.
In December, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu (D) announced that the city would be starting new COVID-19 restrictions, including requiring all city employees to receive two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine and that many indoor spaces would need to require patrons and visitors to as well, in the new year. That announcement was met immediately with protests from city employee unions, business owners, and residents alike. Wu implied that opposition to the mandates were fueled by racism.
“I’ve grown up my whole life knowing what it feels like to feel invisible or othered, and this is an experience that far too many Americans share,” Wu told GBH in December. “Standing at the podium, hearing the demonstrators who were opposing our policies singing patriotic songs and chanting ‘USA’ — the message was clear that we don’t belong here in their eyes, and shouldn’t be trying to take away something that they perceive they have and are losing.”
According to Bloomberg, Boston tried passing vaccine passports before but have mostly been unsuccessful:
“On Jan. 15, the city of Boston introduced a new mandate requiring that patrons must show proof of Covid-19 vaccination to enter certain indoor venues, including sit-down restaurants and bars. The city-wide order is meant to curb the recent surge in coronavirus infections as the pandemic drags on, and the mayor has turned to digital apps to help streamline the screening process.
Like many states and cities across the country and the world, Boston now has its own version of a mobile vaccine passport. No need to carry around a crumpled CDC-branded diploma; instead you can flash your phone to a bouncer to prove your Moderna or Pfizer credentials. At least that’s the idea.”
Now, a month later the city has pushed for passports for tourists as young as 12 but imagine their efforts will be successful or well-received. The government has grossly overstepped its boundaries, in my opinion. Regularly blurring the lines between community health and government has sown distrust and discord. Protests at this point aren’t just predictable, they should be expected.
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