Salem Sees Surge In Coronavirus Vaccinations

Salem MA

02 September, 2021

4:14 PM

Description

SALEM, MA — A series of coronavirus vaccination mandates appear to be having the desired effect of substantially increasing vaccinations in Salem. The city reported 474 new first shot vaccinations last week, which it said was a 41 percent increase over the previous week. That's the largest week-over=week increase since May. The city reports that 71 percent of all residents have been vaccinated, including 81 percent of residents eligible for the shots. There remain 7,633 residents who are not vaccinated. The increase comes as the city is set to impose new mandates that include restrictions on some employees and students who are eligible for the vaccine and remain unvaccinated. The city is putting in place a vaccination mandate for all city and school workers that subjects those who remain unvaccinated to twice-weekly testing. Salem officials have asked private businesses whose employees have face-to-face contact with the public to voluntarily adopt the same policy. Salem Public Schools is also instituting a mandate for students 12 and older in "high-respiration extracurricular activities"— such as sports, band, chorus and drama — that states that those students must either show proof of vaccination, or wear masks both indoors and outdoors while doing those activities, and provide written proof that they have consulted a health care professional about the vaccine. Did you find this article useful? Invite a friend to subscribe to Patch. (Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at [email protected]. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.) More Patch Coverage: Salem School Committee Approves Full Indoor Mask Requirement Vaccine-Or-Mask Mandate For Sports, Band, Chorus: Salem Schools Salem Pushes Strict Testing Mandate For Unvaccinated Employees