Major City Announces Unvaccinated Will Soon Be Banned from Most Indoor Spaces

Leah Barkoukis | December 21, 2021 8:00 AM

Beginning Jan. 15, 2022, Boston will require proof of vaccination to enter certain indoor areas in the city.

Much like New York City’s “Key to NYC” pass, the “B Together” program will exclude the unvaccinated from movie theaters, concerts, restaurants, bars, indoor events, museums, sports arena, bowling alleys, and fitness centers.

The vaccine passport will begin with those ages 12 and up, and will initially only require a single dose of vaccine. By February 15, persons in this age group must show proof of full vaccination. The passport program will expand to those ages 5-11 in March and by May 1, full vaccination will be required of everyone 5 and up.

All city employees will also be required to be vaccinated by the same timeline.

Mayor Wu was joined at the announcement at Boston City Hall by fellow mayors and municipal leaders from across Greater Boston who announced their own plans to pursue vaccination requirements as part of a regional effort to combat the winter surge, increase vaccination, and protect indoor gatherings.
Established through a public health order issued by the Boston Public Health Commission, the new guidance seeks to increase vaccination rates among residents and slow the spread of COVID-19 and the new Omicron variant. (City of Boston)

“Vaccines are the most powerful tool we have to fight this pandemic. Vaccination saves lives, and closing vaccination gaps is the best way to support and protect our communities, businesses, and cultural institutions during this pandemic,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “The vast majority of COVID-related hospitalizations are of unvaccinated individuals, which is impacting our entire healthcare system and compromising the health of our communities. Today’s steps to protect community members in certain indoor establishments and throughout our city workforce will help ensure that everyone in Boston will be safe. City government must take down barriers and direct our resources for easy access to testing and vaccination to protect our city and all of our communities.”