A different boardwalk experience this Memorial Day | Coronavirus Newsletter
Plus, why fresh air will be a hot amenity in reopened offices
TL;DR: Memorial Day weekend down the Shore was less crowded than usual, with amusement rides locked down, people trying to keep six feet away from each other and adding extra hand sanitizer to their beach bags. Here’s what Memorial Day weekend looked like around the region. While companies plan for how to return to the office once shutdowns are lifted, property owners have shifted from emphasizing roof decks and gyms to touting high air-circulation and advanced filtration setups.
— Ellie Silverman (@esilverman11, health@inquirer.com)
What you need to know:
🟡 Philadelphia and its suburbs will move to the “yellow” reopening phase by June 5. Here’s a reminder on what to expect in each reopening phase.
🔓 There was a reopen protest held on Memorial Day down the Shore at Point Pleasant Beach. The small group of Trump supporters chanted “All businesses are essential!” and “Open New Jersey now!”
⛪ A South Jersey church held Sunday service in defiance of Gov. Phil Murphy’s order. Other pastors are threatening to sue the governor. Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Archdiocese plans to resume daily and Sunday Masses on June 6.
🚓 Cops say a New Jersey man claimed he had coronavirus during a fight with police.
😷 Former Vice President Joe Biden wore a mask during a Memorial Day visit to the veterans memorial in Delaware, his first public appearance in months. The Phillie Phanatic also wore a mask today.
💻 Colleges adapted to virtual final exams. What they learned could shape the future on campuses.
🎶 Watch as David Bilger, Principal Trumpet of The Philadelphia Orchestra, plays “Taps” for Taps Across America on Memorial Day.
Local coronavirus cases
📈The coronavirus has swept across the Philadelphia region and cases continue to mount. The Inquirer and Spotlight PA are compiling geographic data on tests conducted, cases confirmed, and deaths caused by the virus. Track the spread here.
Memorial Day weekend down the Shore was less crowded than usual, with amusement rides locked down, people trying to keep six feet away from each other and adding extra hand sanitizer to their beach bags. Restaurants were open for take out only and boardwalk shops could only sell items, including hermit crabs, curbside. Read more about Memorial Day on the boardwalk here.
While companies plan for how to return to the office once shutdowns are lifted, property owners have shifted from emphasizing roof decks and gyms to touting high air-circulation and advanced filtration setups. When an infected person breathes, talks, coughs, or sneezes, they produce tiny contaminated droplets. Heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems flush away indoor air, which could contain those contaminated droplets, and replace it with fresh air from outside. Read about how property owners of Philadelphia office buildings with outdated systems, and those with upgraded systems, are preparing.
Helpful resources
Do saltwater and sunshine at the Shore kill the coronavirus? Here’s what science says.
Anxious about going back out into the world? Here are some ways to manage your worries.
Here are 8 principles of social distancing to help figure out what you can and can’t do.
Not sure what a medical term means? We have definitions for you.
Have another question? Our reporters have tracked down answers.
You got this: What kids can do in the yellow phase
Is camp allowed? Will my child have to wear a mask in day camp? What will social distancing look like in summer camp? Can we go swimming? My colleague Elizabeth Wellington answers these questions and more as she unpacks Pennsylvania’s state guidance on what kids can do in the yellow phase. Here’s a reminder on what to expect in each reopening phase.
🗳️ Voting by mail is a safe option during coronavirus. Here’s what you need to know about absentee ballots in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
💗 Good karma: A South Jersey volunteer’s story carries on despite the coronavirus.
🎶 Photos: A dance recital the coronavirus couldn’t stop.
Have a social distancing tip or question to share? Let us know at health@inquirer.com and your input might be featured in a future edition of this newsletter.
What we’re paying attention to
Without daycare or camps open, women are being edged out of the workforce, the Lily reports.
As kids return to babysitters, daycares and camps, ProPublica rounded up advice for parents from infectious disease and public health experts
A top Chinese virologist spoke to ScienceInsider about how China and U.S. have navigated the coronavirus pandemic.
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