After a year of uncertainty, Harvard Square business owners are looking forward to welcoming more tourists and students to the Square in the next few months, now that Covid-19 vaccines are readily available in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Theodora M. “Theo” Skeadas ’12, executive director of Cambridge Local First, a non-profit network of over 450 local and independent businesses in the city, said the Square would “rebound,” though she recognized that recovery will be “difficult” for some businesses.
“People are really excited to be social and reconnect, and I’ve been walking around the city, all over the place, and it’s just exciting to see people coming back into the Square and engaging with local businesses,” she said. “The challenge is that we lost a lot of businesses and those are not coming back.”
Q: Who is eligible to receive the Covid-19 vaccine in Massachusetts currently?
A: Ages 16+. As of April 19, everybody over age 16 who lives, works, or studies in Massachusetts is eligible to get the vaccine. Adolescents aged 12 to 15 can preregister. The Food and Drug Administration approved the Pfizer vaccine for 12- to 18-year-olds on Monday, but it still awaits sign-off from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Wednesday. The Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are only authorized for people 18 and older, however, clinical trials are underway for children.
Q: Do I need a social security number or insurance or a form of payment to get a COVID vaccine?