Hundreds vaccinated at walk-in clinic at First Night Boston

BOSTON — It may have looked different, but at least there was a First Night Boston at all after the pandemic canceled last year’s event.

All festivities were outdoors, and masks were recommended.

Besides the event stage in Copley Square was a COVID-19 vaccine clinic, where less than halfway through the 11-hour clinic, more than 500 people had gotten their first, second, or booster shots.

“We were worried that there wouldn’t be a good turnout, and it’s just been well worth the time to do this,” said Frederica Williams, CEO of Whittier Street Health Center, which ran the clinic. “Some people were just here; they didn’t even know what was going on. They saw the vans, they saw the tents, they just came on over.”

More than 1,500 free COVID-19 rapid test kits were also handed out at a time when cases are skyrocketing due to the Omicron variant and testing is in high demand.

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu led a parade with her family before an early fireworks show for younger children to enjoy before midnight.

Wu took the stage, encouraging celebrants to line up for the clinic, which, after 7 p.m., moved indoors to the Boston Public Library.

“The vast majority of folks who are ending up in hospitals are unvaccinated,” Wu said. “And so, for everyone to have the capacity to be able to – when you need something in the hospital – have the space, we need to ease the system and the pressure. And that means boosting our vaccination rates wherever we can.”

©2021 Cox Media Group