Tips For Booking A Vaccine Appointment In Mass.

Also: We want to hear from middle and high school students; a slew of new polls from WBUR ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ [View in Browser]( | [Donate]( [WBUR] [WBUR]( The WBUR Weekender April 17, 2021 Weekend Weather: Saturday cloudy, with a high near 46 and a chance of showers before 1 p.m. Sunday is partly sunny with a high near 54. Good morning Boston, I'm heading into the weekend feeling hopeful and grateful. Earlier this week, I got my [first COVID-19 vaccine dose]( I became eligible on April 5 and, like many, I was nervous about appointment availability after hearing the horror stores from the early days of registration in Massachusetts. While the process has become a lot smoother with the rollout of the state's preregistration system and increased vaccine supply from the feds, there's about to be a surge in demand as all remaining residents ages 16 and over become eligible to get their shots starting Monday. For the general public who is newly eligible, this means it may take a few weeks to get an appointment. But we want to help make sure the odds are in your favor. We asked WBUR readers and listeners who are already vaccinated or already booked their appointments to [share tips on how they landed a time slot](. They had so much great advice to share! Of note: I realize I'm lucky I was able to book an appointment on the first day I was eligible. I'm digitally savvy and I look at a computer all day from home, which means I was able to watch for and quickly jump on new appointments as soon as they became available. But not everyone has that luxury, especially many in communities that have been hit the hardest by COVID. That's why we wanted to put together this [helpful guide]( from experts and residents of all ages and backgrounds. We hope this advice helps on your hunt and, as always, feel free to reach out to us with questions or feedback on how your appointment booking experience goes. — Meagan McGinnes [@meaganmcginnes]( newsletters@wbur.org This Week's Must Reads url[Here's How To Book A Vaccine Appointment In Massachusetts]( The advice of the day is to go all out: Keep searching, and make sure you're aware of all the options available to you. [Read more.]( Support the news [WBUR Poll: Rent Control Supported By Most Boston Voters]( The poll also found 8 in 10 poll respondents supported building more housing near MBTA stations, a measure some advocates have proposed to help promote public transit and reduce traffic. [Read more.]( - WBUR Poll: [Wu And Janey Lead Boston Mayoral Race, But Almost Half Of Voters Are Undecided]( - WBUR Poll: [More Parents Want Their Kids To Return To Classrooms By This Fall]( - WBUR Poll: [8 In 10 Bostonians Say Racism Is A Significant Problem]( [Walsh: 'I've Left The City In A Really Strong Position']( U.S. Labor Secretary Marty Walsh spoke to the Dorchester Reporter this week for his first one-on-one interview with Boston media since he resigned as mayor on March 22. He's now three weeks into his tenure as a Cabinet member. [Read more.]( [With Rise In Variants, Mass. Scientists Warn Of Evolutionary Arms Race Between Virus And Vaccines]( “These variant viruses do not gain superpowers. They’re the same virus. They’re just a little bit stickier on the receptors, so if a person is exposed, there is a greater probability they become infected. The mitigation remains the same: masks, distancing, hand-sanitizing and simple ventilation improvements.” [Read more.]( [As Advocates Push For Gun Control, Business Is Booming For Springfield's Smith & Wesson]( Massachusetts has some of the strongest gun control laws in the country. But it is also home to one of the country's biggest gun makers, Smith & Wesson. And business has never been better. [Read more.]( Time For A Break Share: Know a middle school or high school student? [We want to hear from them about what they hope their schooling will be like post-pandemic.]( They can even submit artwork and videos expressing their feelings (and that could be a nice activity or art project during April vacation next week.) Listen: Sir Orfeo’s new song “So Long” uses vintage sounds to bring nostalgia to life. [This is an exclusive first listen]( the new single is out April 20. For your health: A year into the pandemic, [here's what we know]( about Vitamin D for preventing COVID-19. The short answer: It's not 100% clear yet if the two can be tied together, but make sure you're hitting your daily dose. It will help with your overall health and immune system! Take in some local history: After being closed for 13 months due to the pandemic, the Old North Church, Boston's oldest surviving church, is [opening its doors]( today for self-guided tours. Eat chocolate: Food & Wine released their [list of the best chocolate shops across America]( and four local businesses made the cut: Chequesset Chocolate in North Truro, EHChocolatier in Cambridge, Goodnow Farms Chocolate in Sudbury, and Taza Chocolate in Somerville. This feels like a good enough reason to treat yourself this weekend. Catch Up On Coronavirus What To Know: On Monday, April 19 – Patriots’ Day – appointments open for all residents age 16 or older. All Massachusetts will be eligible for a vaccine in New Hampshire as of this day as well. [Read more.]( By The Numbers: The Massachusetts unemployment rate for March stands at 6.8%, which is 0.2 percentage points lower than the month before. Still, the state's unemployment rate is nearly a full percentage point higher than the national unemployment rate. (See our [maps & charts]( for the latest COVID-19 case and vaccination numbers.) Before you go: [This vibe]( feels right. 😎 Forward to a friend. They can sign up [here](. 📣 Give us your feedback: newsletters@wbur.org 📨 Get more WBUR stories sent to your inbox. [Check out all of our newsletter offerings.]( Support the news [WBUR]( [95289b97-66e8-43d4-a174-3bc3520a79a9.png]( [Instagram](  [Twitter]( [Facebook]( Want to change how you receive these emails? [Stop getting this newsletter by updating your preferences.]( I don't want to hear from WBUR anymore. Unsubscribe from all WBUR editorial newsletters [here](. Interested in learning more about corporate sponsorship? 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