vaccine

Unlike in Boston and Brookline, health officials in Somerville shot down a citywide vaccine mandate during a meeting Thursday night. According to the city’s latest public health data, 80% of Somerville residents are fully vaccinated and 43% have also received a booster shot. The proposed vaccine mandate followed the same rules that the city of Boston put into place, which…

California would allow children age 12 and up to be vaccinated without their parents’ consent under a proposal introduced Friday by a state senator who said youngsters “deserve the right to protect themselves” against infectious disease.

An Israeli hospital said preliminary research shows a fourth dose of the coronavirus vaccine does boost antibodies, but it’s not enough to stop the spread of omicron. Yet medical experts and public officials continue to urge people to get vaccinated amid an omicron-driven surge. Sheba Hospital last month began administering a fourth vaccine to more than 270 medical workers —…

Top Boston doctors talk about new data on COVID hospitalizations, when we’ll reach endemic status and a study that shows a fourth vaccine dose doesn’t stop omicron on NBC10 Boston’s weekly “COVID Q&A” series.

The COVID vaccine mandate at certain businesses in Brookline, Massachusetts, will go into effect just days after its announcement. The order Brookline’s interim health commissioner issued Tuesday alongside the Select Board and Advisory Council on Public Health applies to indoor and outdoor seating areas at restaurants, as well as gyms and indoor entertainment venues. The first phase, requiring patrons 12…

The town of Brookline, Massachusetts, will require proof of vaccination against COVID-19 at certain businesses beginning this weekend.

With both Pfizer and Moderna preparing for additional shots specifically targeting the omicron variant, what do we know so far about vaccines and their effectiveness against the strain? With booster shot eligibility and guidance changing, the omicron variant has already caused a shift as experts rush to slow the surge in cases nationwide. Here’s what we know so far:...

Many COVID-19 vaccine clinics in Massachusetts shut down Friday because of the snowstorm, but those that were open saw plenty of people looking for booster shots. Eighteen-year-old Mason Klyce got boosted after the storm. “I need it for my job, as well as be able to go places and do things with people,” said Klyce. The clinic at Beverly Middle…

It was re-opening day at Fenway Park in Boston Thursday as the ballpark transformed once again into a vaccination site. While the race is on to distribute booster shots of the COVID-19 vaccine, the site also welcomed a number of people who were rolling up their sleeves for the first time. Experts say the surge in cases is convincing some…

As the state tries to curb the spread of COVID-19, a new vaccine and booster clinic is opening in Roxbury at the Melnea Cass Recreation Complex. The state says they will be able to give 400 vaccines a days here. This is a walk-in clinic. Appointments can also be made through vaxfinder.mass.gov. Vaccines are for those ages 5 and up….

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated guidelines for Pfizer COVID-19 boosters, shortening the time from second dose to booster to five months.

Just fewer than 1,000 executive branch employees have left their jobs because they did or would not comply with Gov. Charlie Baker’s vaccine mandate for public employees, including 656 people whose departures were “involuntary,” the governor’s office said Thursday. The update on state worker compliance with the requirement comes as Baker and his team continue to push vaccination and booster…

Unions representing police and firefighters in Boston are taking legal action against Mayor Michelle Wu’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate. The Boston Firefighters Local 718, Boston Police Superior Officers Federation and Boston Police Detectives Benevolent Society announced Thursday that they had filed a temporary restraining order to stop implementation of the vaccine requirement. All city employees must provide proof of a first…

On the heels of Boston and New York deciding to implement COVID-19 vaccine requirements to eat indoors at restaurants, a group of eateries in Portland, Maine, is hoping city leaders will implement that type of mandate. Over the past week, a dozen or so restaurants, including places like Eventide Oyster Co. and Chaval, have signed onto a petition urging...

A petition from some well-known eateries in Portland, Maine, is urging a COVID-19 vaccine requirement.

A federal judge in Oklahoma has ruled against the state in its lawsuit challenging the vaccine mandates for members of the Oklahoma National Guard.

With omicron now the dominant strain in the U.S. and cases rapidly rising across Massachusetts and the country, experts say there are some symptoms that appear prominent with the new COVID variant and differ from what many came to expect with the delta variant. Dr. Katherine Poehling, an infectious disease specialist and member of the Advisory Committee on Immunization...

The Vermont holiday ski season is in high demand. Local business are encouraging vaccinations among tourists to ensure a safe season for their businesses.

Passengers at Boston’s South Station Thursday were eager to get together with family for Christmas weekend, even though some are on edge to travel by bus or train as COVID cases continue to rise. “At this point, it’s my only option to go home, and I want to go home,” said Reilly Fitzgibbons. At the Lucky Star bus line,...

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu is implementing proof of vaccination protocols. Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker is activating the National Guard, issuing an indoor mask advisory and ordering all hospitals to postpone nonessential elective procedures. President Joe Biden is mailing out free at-home testing kits to Americans. And the omicron variant is now the dominant strain in Massachusetts. Top Boston doctors unpack...