On Tuesday, May 5 the city of Chicago released a concert series, particularly for fully vaccinated residents against COVID-19. The city is starting to move closer towards getting free from the pandemic and towards activities and events that give off a sense of normalness again. As cases of the coronavirus start to decline, events such as concerts are opening up for the residents again.

The concert series will start towards the end of May in Hyde Park as summer nears closer. If you are fully vaccinated, indicating that you have gotten your second shot before May 8, you can attend the concert series. “I love the idea that we can open up these venues,” Nurse Anne Nelson said. Nelson had a strong and unique opinion about this topic. “I think people will start to appreciate this, and they need some kind of reward for what they’ve gone through,” Nelson said. Events like these are bringing back the art and culture of the city. As the city moves forward, restaurants, bars, and other places will start to open longer for fully vaccinated people as a gesture to encourage people to get their vaccine.

Benjamin Kagan, a freshman at Parker, who helped hundreds of people over the past months get their vaccine, had a strong opinion about the topic. “It’s crucial to get vaccinated. It’s doing a service to the community,” Kagan said. Benjamin Kagan helped people who struggled to make an appointment, especially those that were older. “There should be no struggle to find an appointment,” Kagan said, “Now that they are more accessible, the question is if you want to get it instead of if they are available to get.”

Parker is approaching the final weeks of school, and they’ve successfully made the shift back to in-person learning after being online for a year. Just recently, the school helped contribute to the vaccination attempts across the city by opening its own vaccine clinic. “I thought that it was wonderful,” Upper School english teacher Michael Mahany said. 

Just after the CDC authorized the vaccine for 12 to 15-year-olds, Parker jumped forward to help get as many students vaccinated. “What the school did was an amazing idea. They were lending a helping hand,” Kagan said. On Friday, May 14, the vaccination clinic was open to just students, but it was open to anyone in the city on the weekend.

As Parker makes this step forward, other places around the city are following. Events such as Bulls, Cubs, and White Sox games have seen a spike in attendance as well as other opportunities for the community as a whole to feel normal again. Mahany, a big sports fan, was excited for more fans to be able to attend these games. “I think that it’s the right time to start allowing fans to sporting events,” Mahany said. 

In these upcoming weeks, teams like the Chicago White Sox and the Chicago Cubs have increased the seating capacity from 20% to 60%. “It’s the perfect time to include more fans at these events though I wouldn’t want to go if they raised it to full capacity,” Mahany said.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot said that she looks for Chicago to be reopened by July 4. “I can see Parker getting closer to normal as we approach the upcoming school year. Once the vaccine comes out for the younger children, we can make that bigger step,” Nelson said. All of these openings are starting to show everyone that they are getting closer to normal. Parker, and other schools, actions are inspiring and encouraging the community to take the next step forward however anyone can.