BOSTON (WHDH) - Mayor Michelle Wu on Tuesday announced three key benchmarks for determining when it will be safe to lift Boston’s proof of vaccination requirement.
The Boston Public Health Commission is monitoring a trio of key metrics that will be used to determine when to end the “B Together” vaccination requirement, which requires patrons and staff of certain indoor spaces to show proof of vaccination against COVID-19.
“The data makes clear that Boston’s policies to boost vaccination and public health have been working, and we are coming down from the recent Omicron-driven surge,” Wu said. “I’m encouraged by the current trends and grateful to the Boston Public Health Commission and all our partners for strong leadership to keep us heading in the right direction.”
The current proof of vaccination requirement would be lifted when the following conditions are met, according to Wu:
- Fewer than 95% of ICU beds are occupied
- Fewer than 200 COVID-19 hospitalizations per day
- A community positivity rate below 5%, as defined by the Boston Public Health Commission’s 7-day moving average
“The fastest way to help ensure we are relieving pressure on hospital capacity and driving down community positivity is to keep closing gaps with vaccination and boosters,” Wu added. “As we monitor the public health metrics and see the numbers improve, it is our priority to lift the mandate in the safest and most effective manner possible.”
Right now, Boston is meeting only the ICU benchmark. Dr. Shira Doron of Tufts Medical Center said if the city reaches the other two it may be time to take another step toward normal.
“We’ve been thinking about this for two years. What are the right thresholds to do this or that? To escalate or de-escalate things? And there’s no correct answer,” she said.
If lifted, city officials will have the ability to restore the vaccination requirement in the event of a future surge.
When it comes to setting a timetable for dropping the mask mandate, Wu stated that the city “is not yet there.”
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