Boston Mayor Urges Vaccines, Boosters As Hospitals Deal With COVID Surge
BOSTON (CBS) - Mayor Michelle Wu applauded healthcare employees across the city Wednesday as they deal with a variant fueled surge of COVID-19 cases.
"Our healthcare workers are incredible," Wu said. "Many of the hospitalizations, the vast majority are of residents who are unvaccinated and many of these are completely preventable if people get vaccinated and get boosted."
Tufts Medical Center says the majority of patients in their intensive care unit are unvaccinated and employees out sick due to COVID are unable to help.
"It's a day to day, hour to hour management crisis and we need all the help we can get from the public to do what the mayor just said," Tufts Medical Center President and CEO Dr. Michael Tarnoff said. "Please get vaccinated, please get boosted, please wear your mask."
Mayor Wu adds she's working to alleviate that strain by adding more testing and vaccine clinics over the next week throughout Boston. She said Boston's B Together program, which will require indoor customers to show proof of vaccination, will help the entire city deal with the surge.
"This means that we are keeping our workforce safe, we're keeping our customers safe at the same time the City of Boston's own workforce will increase the protections available as we move towards full vaccination of city workers as well," Wu said.
The B Together initiative requires proof of vaccination for indoor dining, indoor fitness venues, and indoor entertainment, recreational, and event venues. It will go into effect on January 15.
