City Councilor Andrea Campbell is calling for Boston to follow New York City’s lead in requiring proof of vaccination for indoor dining. She also condemned comments from Acting Mayor Kim Janey that linked vaccination requirements to slavery, the Jim Crow era and discrimination against immigrants.
Campbell, who’s running to replace Janey at City Hall, said Janey’s comments were “absolutely ridiculous” and called for a city-wide requirement of vaccination for accessing certain public accommodations like restaurant dining rooms and gyms.
“The acting mayor’s comments yesterday put people’s health at risk, plain and simple,” Campbell said.
Asked Tuesday about New York City’s plans to require proof of vaccination, Janey rejected the idea, saying that “there’s a long history in this country of people needing to show their papers.” Janey then referenced points in American history when groups like slaves, African Americans after slavery and immigrants had been subjected to providing identification to authorities.
“We want to make sure that we are not doing anything that would further create a barrier for residents,” Janey said.
When asked Tuesday to clarify her comments, Janey would only tell reporters her priority is getting Bostonians vaccinated against the virus.
“What I said was, there’s a long history of asking people to show their papers. Our focus is on getting people vaccinated,” Janey said after a ribbon-cutting event for a reopened sandwich shop in the Financial District Wednesday afternoon.
Campbell said she was shocked when she heard Janey’s remarks.
“There is already too much misinformation directed at our residents about this pandemic, particularly for Black and Brown residents in the city of Boston and in the Commonwealth,” Campbell said. “And it is incumbent upon us as leaders not to give these conspiracies any oxygen.”
